User blog comment:Sannse/Important Updates on Wikia’s New Look/@comment-1689515-20100929202823

I just have to say this as a Computer Science major and the initial web developer of the Mosinee City web site. If I'd had a choice, I would not have made Mosinee's site fixed-width during my internship with them. There's a reason that all browsers support a percentage. It helps keep formatting visually consistent and accessible. The new skin wastes a ton of potential article space, especially the sidebar. 660 pixels is a pittance. The placement of the sidebar on the right also makes it harder to read articles.

If ad space is really a concern, there's still no reason not to make the page a percentage width. All you need to do is make the MARGINS a fixed width, put the ads in there, keep a fixed width for the sidebar, and let the content dominate the rest of the page. It's a kinder solution that keeps accessibility intact and also allows for better content display. If people have to scroll too much, they'll go elsewhere and you're back at square one.