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Author Topic: White Text on Black Background  (Read 23799 times)

AlanShaw

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White Text on Black Background
« on: April 28, 2012, 08:28:53 am »

Firstly let me say I love this site. The forums are a wealth of knowledge, the video tutorials are great and the articles are excellent.

The only thing I dislike is the white text on black background of the articles. It kills my eyes. I've been reading the Nikon D800 review and could only get about a quarter of the way through it before I had to stop. Surely I can't be the only one who thinks this?   ???

I did do a search before posting this and couldn't find anything. I'd be interested in other people's views.
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BJL

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2012, 09:03:27 am »

A few comments on what seems to be a recurring and controversial topic amongst people who spend too much time reading online:

1. There is some technical discussion of the pros and cons, with the comments section perhaps better informed than the main post at http://uxmovement.com/content/when-to-use-white-text-on-a-dark-background/
One idea I get from there is that white-on-black might be better when reading in a darker environment, black-on-white more comfortable in a brightly lit environment.

2. A recent survey of readers of DPReview (which also uses a lot of white-on-black) had about a 70-30 majority in favor of white-on-black, but there were also calls for a user preference setting for the other 30%.

3. On many operating systems, there is an "Accessibility" option to toggle inverse video, and I find this a nice relief sometimes  --- to go into the white-on-black mode that you dislike. (For example, on an iPad, it can be assigned to a triple click on the Home button). Warning: this inverts everything, not just text, so photos go weird!
« Last Edit: April 28, 2012, 09:06:14 am by BJL »
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Kirk Gittings

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2012, 11:03:21 am »

On some software like VBulletin you can construct different "skins" with a great variety in this regard. Each viewer can choose their preference. I do not know if this software has such flexibility.
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Thanks,
Kirk Gittings

jeremypayne

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2012, 01:46:03 pm »

The only thing I dislike is the white text on black background of the articles.

http://www.readability.com/

Try this.
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Bill Koenig

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2012, 04:00:34 pm »

At least with Firefox you can set the screen colors to display anything you like, just go to Tools, Options, Content, Colors. There you can change the screen colors to whatever, or just tell Firefox to let pages display there own colors, or, you can tell it to display system colors.
Many choices, you can have your cake and eat it to. 
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Bill Koenig,

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2012, 04:04:16 pm »

Or you can switch to Mac and enjoy the 21st century  ;)

John R Smith

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2012, 04:14:06 pm »

Slobodan

That is so much better than it looks on my PC and IE.

John
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an

PeterAit

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2012, 04:23:12 pm »

What you say is true. I recall from way back when I did web design, white text/black background was considered one of the basic beginners' mistakes. Not as bad as purple text/black background, but still!
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BJL

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White Text on Black Background: Reader mode of Safari
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2012, 06:32:22 pm »

I had forgotten the "Reader" feature of Safari, as illustrated by Slobodan. Does that also work with the Windows version of Safari? (Does anyone use the Windows version of Safari?)
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Bernard ODonovan

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2012, 06:36:09 pm »

Firstly let me say I love this site. The forums are a wealth of knowledge, the video tutorials are great and the articles are excellent.

The only thing I dislike is the white text on black background of the articles. It kills my eyes. I've been reading the Nikon D800 review and could only get about a quarter of the way through it before I had to stop. Surely I can't be the only one who thinks this?   ???

I did do a search before posting this and couldn't find anything. I'd be interested in other people's views.

Hi Alan

Try highlighting the text by dragging you mouse over it. This may help. It also acts as a book mark. You still benefit from the low light output of black on the rest of the page and the framing effect it gives to images, although if your still sensitive to large amounts of black near white you may still experience the effect slightly...

Bernard
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Bernard ODonovan

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2012, 06:48:18 pm »


The thing I don't like about this site is when people insult our host Michael.

Here's a suggestion Michael – make the auto BS detector turn such text to white text on a white back ground. It's just firmware, right?

Come on Michael, put your "A" team on this for a firmware update ASAP.   ;D
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AlanShaw

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2012, 06:58:35 pm »

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jeremypayne

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2012, 07:03:31 pm »

The thing I don't like about this site is when people insult our host Michael.

Don't get your panties in a bunch.

Nobody is insulting anyone ... Yet ...

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Bernard ODonovan

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2012, 07:12:16 pm »

Don't get your panties in a bunch.

Nobody is insulting anyone ... Yet ...



Jeremy you seem to have the wrong end of my joke... No one in this thread...  ;D
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fdisilvestro

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Re: White Text on Black Background: Reader mode of Safari
« Reply #14 on: April 28, 2012, 07:19:18 pm »

I had forgotten the "Reader" feature of Safari, as illustrated by Slobodan. Does that also work with the Windows version of Safari? (Does anyone use the Windows version of Safari?)

Yes, it does work in the Windows version.

Jeremy: thanks for the link.

Robert55

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2012, 03:29:25 am »

There is a very useful add-on for FireFox called 'Toolbar Buttons' which lets you add all sorts of buttons to the toolbar, among them a button to change from site and standard colors

At least with Firefox you can set the screen colors to display anything you like, just go to Tools, Options, Content, Colors. There you can change the screen colors to whatever, or just tell Firefox to let pages display there own colors, or, you can tell it to display system colors.
Many choices, you can have your cake and eat it to. 
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stamper

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #16 on: April 29, 2012, 04:04:36 am »

What about black text on a black background or white text on a white background? And for those who don't recognize humour this is meant as a joke. :) ;)

Ray

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #17 on: April 29, 2012, 05:02:12 am »

I can't understand the problem. It seems clear to me that white text on a black background is less stressful on the eyes than black text on a white background. I've often had arguments about e-book readers with people who associate an e-book reader with a computer monitor with its transmissive screen. Their opposition to e-book readers is often based upon that experience of eye strain caused by the transmissive nature of the screen in conjunction with a dazzlingly white background.

After I explain that an e-book reader does not present a transmissive image like a computer monitor, but needs artificial or natural lighting to be seen, just as a paper book does, and is therefore no more strain on the eyes than reading a paper book, they begin to see the light.
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Farmer

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #18 on: April 29, 2012, 05:12:07 am »

Jeremy - good call on readability - I'm adding that to my system now - cheers!
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Phil Brown

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Re: White Text on Black Background
« Reply #19 on: April 29, 2012, 05:15:58 am »

Firstly let me say I love this site.g this and couldn't find anything. I'd be interested in other people's views.

Uh huh...but you don't love ALL of the site, right? Read it or don't. If you don't like the site, ask for your money back–oh, wait, it's free...sorry, not a big deal from my point of view. If it is from your's, well maybe you can impact Mike's point of view (not bloody likely, but hey, ya never know)
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