Want a web design that stands out and gets noticed? Perhaps you should consider a horizontal scrolling feature. While it is a new, but rehashed, concept, and not welcomed by everyone, you would be sure to create a big bang. It can change a regular website into a slide- show story book that provides a rare experience to users, while they are visiting your site. Intertwining both scrolling features, combines the new with the old and is not quite so daring.
When the web was first launching in the 1990′s, designers were using trying out horizontal layouts. They were testing them to give everyone an impression of what exactly HTML could do. Those that first used the horizontal layout had a very negative experience. It was difficult to navigate and not easy to read.
Soon after, it was done away with. However, recently it has come back. Its usage is gaining momentum, and some are having a much more positive experience this time, probably, because of larger computer monitors. Horizontal navigation is now more user-friendly, to some. It will be interesting to see if this time, the horizontal web design will be accepted.
People are accustomed to vertical scroll bars that have fixed widths and different lengths. The horizontal scroll bar is the opposite in that they have a fixed length and vary in width. They are viewed from left to right instead of up and down.
The usability of the horizontal scroll bar depends mainly on three things, the trendiness level of the user, the actual website content, and the computer itself.
Trendy individuals are always looking for the latest, greatest experience. The trendier your audience, the more likely a horizontal scroll bar would be accepted.
Secondly, is the content of your website, If your website consists mainly of text then going horizontal is probably not a good idea. Reading test horizontally could be frustrating and difficult. However, if your website consists of a lot of photographs and graphics, then horizontal is the perfect way to go. Imagine your portfolio displayed with the horizontal scroll bar.
Thirdly, how the computer is set up. For some browsers, in order to view the information contained on the website may be difficult. Mouse application may not be possible. This would require the need for use of the left and right arrow keys or specific commands.
Visitors who are more old-school will find navigating with the use of a horizontal scroll bar a little off. You would think though that its usage would seem more natural, then not, since that is how we read. I think the difficulty arises mostly because we have been trained to read a computer screen vertically. For some people that will be a system, they won’t be too keen on parting with. However, if the Mac mouses’ scrolling function catches on, it may become a regular function with all computers. If this is the case, we will see more of these types of sites.
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