[Jacket]

I'm working on my website now in Dreamweaver.. I would like to set it so that when visitors come to my site that their web browser automatically sets the size of the window. does anyone know how to do this?

[Rainy Day]

That would be a javascript command (i don't know the syntax off hand, so will leave it as a research project for you). But be advised that some web browsers allow the user to turn off that "feature," so you cannot count on it always working. Good luck.

[Millennium]

You would use a JavaScript function, attached to the body's onload event handler.

By the way, I strongly advise against doing this. There are few ways to alienate your users faster than taking over things like their browser window.

[godzookie2k]

call the code below onLoad. (850, 700) is the size in pixels, change to whatever you want. FWIW this is a very bad idea to do onLoad. I'd recommend having a button that does it at the users request.

function resize()
{
window.resizeTo(850,700)
}

[Jacket]

Originally posted by godzookie2k:
call the code below onLoad. (850, 700) is the size in pixels, change to whatever you want. FWIW this is a very bad idea to do onLoad. I'd recommend having a button that does it at the users request.

function resize()
{
window.resizeTo(850,700)
}

i don't see how this is such an alienating thing to do.

[bens1901]

Originally posted by Jacket:
i don't see how this is such an alienating thing to do.

I would cast my vote as: using javascript to modify the window size is too intrusive. It could cause the User to feel out of control.

The perception of "computer controlled" probably comes from the OS that you have used in the past.

The Windows world of developers permits any program to "control" the mouse at certain times. For example, when doing a File Open from within an application, the mouse may be automatically moved to hover over the "ok" button of the File Open dialog.

Apple published many books that outlined how a Macintosh program should be programmed. One of these books focused entirely on Human-Computer Interaction. It explains that the computer program should never control the interaction items of the User, such as moving the mouse, resizing a window, etc.

See this web page, it's a small paragraph:
Apple - User Control Guideline

I personally agree with the Mac attitude. However, everyone views it differently. I have not heard of any "rule of thumb" regarding how this window-resizing is considered. Keep in mind that often a browser window is resized by a pop-up advertisement. This may cause the User to have a knee-jerk reaction to close the browser window.

[Rainy Day]

I would cast my vote as: using javascript to modify the window size is too intrusive. It could cause the User to feel out of control.

And i'd cast my vote the same. This is why i've disabled that javascript function on my browser (and the ability to exercise that kind of control is one of the reasons i like iCab so much). Before that, i was always annoyed when a page was resized "for me." With iCab, i've disallowed not only that but also the opening of windows (i.e. pop-ups), moving windows, changing window stacking order, accessing history, hiding window toolbars and writing in the status line. All these things are too intrusive. If Safari offered this level of control, i might be inclined to use it more.

Apple published many books that outlined how a Macintosh program should be programmed. One of these books focused entirely on Human-Computer Interaction. It explains that the computer program should never control the interaction items of the User, such as moving the mouse, resizing a window, etc.

Ironically, Apple has violated many of its own guidelines in various aspects of MacOS X. Most notably in the Dock. In fact Tog (aka Bruce Tognazzini), who founded the Apple Human Interface Group and to whom we owe much of the consistency of the Macintosh user experience, wrote an article titled: Top 10 Reasons the Apple Dock Sucks, which addressed this issue. It should be noted, however, that this article was written circa 2001 and Apple has subsequently addressed some of Tog's criticisms.

[daimoni]

.

[Jacket]

Originally posted by daimoni:
I wouldn't either... if I didn't care about my users.

How dare you assume that that the person visiting your little website wanted to change their browser window size.

a person's website is a creative expression... in many ways, a work of art, and the webmaster has every right to do what they can to have their website viewed in the manner they envision it to be.

[Amorya]

Originally posted by Jacket:
a person's website is a creative expression... in many ways, a work of art, and the webmaster has every right to do what they can to have their website viewed in the manner they envision it to be.

And the user has every right to click the 'Back' button if they don't like how a site works

Amorya