Wrote Claudio, from our nation's capital, in February: "I think MSN should put today's weather higher on the page so it's one of the first things you see." Echoed Sharon, of Spiro, Okla., in an earlier letter to the editor: "I would like to see the news and breaking news and weather at the top of the page and not off to the lower right — things that are important to us."

What's important to us is listening to what you want, which is why MSN is now offering readers the option of using a wide-page format that elevates weather and news on the homepage. It also addresses the concern of Joyce, from Boston, who said, "I find you are wasting too much blank space on the side of the pages."

To get the wide page, click on the box that says "Page options" near the top right corner of the homepage. When the drop down menu appears, click on "Switch to wide page." If you don't like it, you can switch back the same way.

A Wikipedia entry on the evolution of computer screen resolutions says settings at 800x600 pixels were the norm until about 2000. Today more than 80 percent of computer users have their screens set at dimensions at least 1024x768 pixels, which is the new version MSN users can now choose.

"Over the past year we have noticed a couple telling trends among our users," explained Ren Whiting, MSN's lead product planner for this wide-page initiative. Chief among them: More people are using larger desktop monitors and wider laptop screens — most of whom prefer seeing more material with less mouse work.

"The new wide page feature takes advantage of the additional screen real estate bringing more content above the fold," Whiting said, "and as a result requiring less scrolling by our users."

In an informal survey of readers of this column a few weeks ago, two-thirds of users said they preferred a wider screen, though a quarter wanted to keep the dimensions as they have been on MSN for years.

"The biggest benefit is now users have a choice if they want to see the page as a two-column narrow or three-column wide layout," Whiting continued. "For those that prefer the wide layout, they will see more content above the fold. In one glance you will be able to get the latest features, news, sports, finance and weather information without having to scroll down the page." 

Like many people, I dislike scrolling – and I have disliked it ever since the Internet norm was what now seems laughable at 640x480 pixels. But I balance my disdain for resorting to the mouse or scroll pad against the need for speed.

On the MSN homepage, I prefer to increase the four expandable modules, using the plus sign to show more headlines for news, entertainment, sports and money. This lets me scan more headlines in case I've been away for several hours. With the new wider layout, I find myself still scrolling some, but I'm satisfied earlier in my experience because I see more at first glance.

I spend about half of my work time on a laptop, which came with settings at 1280x1024, allowing me to get even more material on my screen. At my desk, my monitor is even longer, allowing me to see even more. I also recognize that I'm the kind of person likely to embrace change, but at MSN, we're aware of wanting to keep people happy, like Alexandria, of Ocean City, N.J., who wrote before the change:

"I absolutely love MSN! I can easily find out what's happening around the world and learn so much from having MSN as my homepage. I always check the weather and scroll down to the entertainment section to get some celebrity dirt. I also really enjoy the main article features. Each day they are new and exciting. My favorites are the travel ones or ones about new restaurants or places to go. Keep up the good work!"

We hope Alexandria is among users who are opting for the wider version and liking it. But we want to hear from more of you. Please take a moment to compare your experiences and then send along your feedback on this as well as anything else you find on MSN.