"Optimized for screen resolution" is evil. I don't want it optimized for a resolution, it should work at any resolution. At 1280x1024, I see wasted space on the sides. At 1024x768, a horizontal scrollbar shows, to scroll like one or two pixels. At 800x600 it's fairly unusable.

Liquid versus fixed layouts on Wikipedia
Liquid Design for the Web
Liquid Design - A Step Forward To Make Your Website Accessible

Then make it optimized for 1920x1200...

I agree strongly. I have hosts that have different resolutions that I use fairly regularly. I would like the page to adjust to the screen.

There is a difference between what we want and what is possible. I'm not a great webdesigner so lets keep it simple

A number of problems prevent me from making a site that works with any resolution. First of all, most stats tables are so crowded and crammed with data that I defined their layout in absolute pixels. Now these don't go nicely with changing widths. Also, without JS the webserver doesn't know about the systems resolution (or browser window size).

Maybe it's possible to do something with css + JS, but that requires investigating.

The main idea behind optimizing for a specific resolution is showing as much data as possible in a certain space. If I could optimize for 1280x1024, more information could be shown. If I make a sizable site, the information in 1280x1024 would be equal to 1024-768, just spread out over more space.

Good point about the various stats tables, they will have to have an absoulute size. I guess 1024 would be the size to base them on.

I was more thinking about the forums. With just plain text involved most of the ime allowing them to expand and contract should be much easier.

There isn't really any reason why the webserver should know the system's resolution or browser window size. If you make a table use 100% of the screen, it will.

And I completely agree and know that making a liquid design for BOINCstats isn't exactly easy. But it was still worth pointing this out...