Topic: Letterbox: Centering Top to bottom: CSS? Popup? Alternative? (Page 1 of 1)

I'm currently designing a site that, for style reasons, needs to be a single main box centered horizontally and vertically (Essentially, I want it to look like a letterbox with even black bars at the top and bottom). Also, I would prefer to avoid the "CLICK HERE TO ENTER SITE" link.

My first option is to have the index page run a javascript onload to open a window with specific size attributes, no scrollbars, etc defined. A popup would be awesome; a sized floating window would fit the look. Problem is popup blockers... The damn popup advertisers abused a feature to death so now everyone has to have a popup blocker on their computer. I'm typing this on a computer with one. My parents even have one! The problem is, like all technology, it mystifies them. I know full well, if they surfed to my website and the popup was blocked they would just move on because they wouldn't know how to "allow" popups on friendly sites. It's the same reason their VCR blinks 12:00 constantly...

It's clear that using CSS to center an element on a page vertically is possible, but I'm worried about browser compatibility. It seems that the browser-of-all browsers, I.E., is the one that got it wrong to begin with! Now we are stuck with that bug for God-knows how long! Maybe in 5 years we'll be able stop designing around this new bug! (Though, I have a good idea on how to fix it quicker if anyone is interested.) I've seen the [url=http://www.ozoneasylum.com/5339] work-around [\url] and I can make it work sometimes but again, compatibility is key!

I should also mention that my website begins with a flash movie, so I also wondered if flash could open a new window without angering the popup blockers, but I figured, if it was possible, the advertisers would have figured that out by now.

So, my questions are these:

1) How can I letterbox my site and still have it degrade nicely into older browsers, and avoid banishment from popup blockers?

2) Realistically for a business site, how far back in browser history should I design for these days?


Thanks!

(Edited by AntiGenX on 06-11-2004 08:10)

(Edited by AntiGenX on 06-11-2004 08:12)

(Edited by AntiGenX on 06-11-2004 09:03)

As far as getting past pop-up blockers goes this might help.

/*I can almost feel a slight shifting of balance in the Force. Perhaps it is one more soul stepping over to the Darkside..... */