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Farley

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 14, 2008
41
1
Today, I am experiencing a terrible change in my screen viewing. Nearly all internet websites (including this one) are framed for an envelope viewing screen. If I want to read something at the edges I have to "move" the screen from side to side and there is an inch and half blank space at the bottom. Has anything happened overnight? It was not like this yesterday. I am viewing on a 16" diagnonal screen which was fine until today. I have not changed anything on my computer.
 
I may not completely understand what you mean by "envelope" (I associate it with letters and such), but have you checked your resolution in System Preferences > Displays or may have accidentally activated Screen Zoom via CTRL+ScrollWheel?
What Mac and Mac OS X version do you run?
 
envelope size

I am using Safari 5.0.3 and Mac OSX 10.5.8. What I mean is that the shape of the image on the screen is like an envelope - longer in width than in height - the way all "new" screens are sold. My screen is flat but old and measures 16" diagonally like the "old" TV screens and is (was) working perfectly until today on the internet. I check and have done NOTHING to any of my settings from yesterday and am at a loss to know what happened. I have to keep moving the image on the screen to see the whole screen. thanks for any help.
 
envelope screen size

I have a mini-Mac for 2 years which has caused no problems (Yippee) until today.
 
Sounds like the resolution has been changed to a widescreen aspect ratio (16x9 or 16x10) and your monitor is a 4x3 aspect ratio. Do you know what the default resolution for your monitor is? It will be something like 1024x768, 1152×864, 1280×960, 1400×1050, 1440×1080, 1600x1200 as those are all 4x3 aspect ratio screen resolutions.
 
it's not the Mac it's Safari that's now letterbox

I experimented and went on Foxfire and had no problem with the resolution - it was just as it had been for a (BTW meant to say "letterbox" instead of envelope) non-letterbox screen such as mine. I have posted my problem on Safari help discussion board but so far no answers. Any suggestions as to what may have caused Safari (all my other programs are unchanged) to "spread out" and make viewing a nightmare for me and other non-letterboxers.
 
I experimented and went on Foxfire and had no problem with the resolution - it was just as it had been for a (BTW meant to say "letterbox" instead of envelope) non-letterbox screen such as mine. I have posted my problem on Safari help discussion board but so far no answers. Any suggestions as to what may have caused Safari (all my other programs are unchanged) to "spread out" and make viewing a nightmare for me and other non-letterboxers.

Can you post a screenshot of the Safari problem?
 
problem solved

Someone on "Safari Help" suggested hitting the green button on the upper left corner. It worked. I know not why but should it ever happen again or to another person - there's the solution. And thanks to all who tried to help.
 
Last edited:
Someone on "Safari Help" suggested hitting the green button on the upper left corner. It worked. I know not why but should it ever happen again or to another person - there's the solution.

Ah, that has nothing to do with screen size but with the window size. Somehow the size of the Safari window got resized and the green button just maximises the window for optimal viewing.


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