Width of threads on the board?

Why do some threads force me to scroll horizontally?

[Robert Charlton]

Normally, without even looking, I'd say that would happen when someone posted a long URL.

But that's not what's happening. In fact, I can't figure out the pattern at all. The "How to get main text "before" other body html?" thread displays wide enough that I need to scroll horizontally on 600x800... The "Need proof of html 3.x being better for SE's" thread doesn't force me to scroll.

I thought this would be the right place to ask.

[tedster]

Every time I've seen this, it's always been when someone posted a long string with no space (almost always an URL).

On the "How to get main text before" thread, I don't get a horizontal scroll at 800x600. Not sure why you would see horizontal scrolling on that thread.

[Robert Charlton]

>>On the "How to get main text before" thread, I don't get a horizontal scroll at 800x600.<<

Interesting... I tried putting my browser completely full screen, and I still get scrolling.

I'm going to try something here. Thus far this thread has not gone wide. I've just started a thread in the eCommerce forum that is wide... only two posts on it... no URLs at all. It's the one about optimizing a Soft Cart site. I'm going to insert the link here [webmasterworld.com], but not display the URL, to see if that has any effect on this thread.

[Robert Charlton]

PS - Nope, this one stays narrow... possibly a longer URL might do it... but there aren't any URLs in the Soft Cart thread.

I thought it might be a difference of page structure in forum to forum... but this thread and the "How to get main text before" threads are on the same forum.

First of all, does anyone else see the width problem? I'm using IE 4.0. Haven't tried it yet in Netscape.

[DaveAtIFG]

NS 4.77 here and I don't see it in the "How to get main text before" thread but I have seen it in other threads recently, can't recall where now... Also, a Google (I think!) thread is rendering with excessive width in the LEFT column (User Profile et al) and a narrowed right column, text area, but no scrolling required. It appears to be related to an extended title (containing a URL?)

I gotta start making notes... And I'll bring this to Brett's attention.

[mnw]

I agree with DaveAtIFG. I have seen where the left column goes wide and the right text column becomes elongated. The "How to get main text before" thread does not require scrolling - using a 19" monitor @ 800 x 600