Black background

JimC · Apr 17, 2014

It may be due to my 69 year old eyes, but I find a marked difference in eye strain when I switch from the Access Norton forum with the black background to any other site with pages having a white back ground. Anyone else notice this?

I did find an extension for Chrome that inverts the color, but the whites are pretty much washed out. It does make it a lot easier to find the cursor when you are composing a comment, though.

texasSlick · Apr 17, 2014

I agree that black backgrounds in websites are generally not desirable. On this Forum, however, I do not find it objectionable as the site deals mainly with text in a linear format. I have seen websites, presenting a multitude of information splattered all over the page, and with a black background, not only tires my eyes but would also give me a headache, should I be forced to spend as much time on the site as I do this Forum.

Jerry has done a great job with this site....I wish I had his talents!

I'll vote to keep the Forum as is.

Slick

JimC · Apr 17, 2014

Jerry has done a great job with this site....I wish I had his talents!

No argument here. I was just commenting on something I noticed. As for changing the background color, I ask, why not? Damn near every website on the internet uses a white background. Probably because it's easier to focus on black text with a white background than white text with a black background.

texasSlick · Apr 17, 2014

I'll bet Jerry can and would design in a config button, so we can have the background color of our own choosing! Of course, he'll have to let us have the text color of our own choosing as well, otherwise the white text turns invisible on a white background.

Hobot · Apr 17, 2014

As world moves to smaller mobile screens there will be more sites with dark back ground and lighter text to save batteries. Some sites that have red letters in dark background I run cursor over to highlight as if too copy so contrast enough to read. I read a lot on a lap top in darkened room so white pages glare back too much compared to this subdued format. I can barely read this forum if lap top outside. Non magnifying reading glasses with a longer focus length helps me to read w/o less strain a close up 'puter screen.

JimC · Apr 17, 2014

hobot said:
As world moves to smaller mobile screens there will be more sites with dark back ground and lighter text to save batteries. Some sites that have red letters in dark background I run cursor over to highlight as if too copy so contrast enough to read. I read a lot on a lap top in darkened room so white pages glare back too much compared to this subdued format. I can barely read this forum if lap top outside. Non magnifying reading glasses with a longer focus length helps me to read w/o less strain a close up 'puter screen.

Hobot, we know you are "different". I'm talking about normal people.

Since you need to turn on the crystals displaying text and images, having a black background saves little if any power.

JimC · Apr 17, 2014

texasSlick said:
I'll bet Jerry can and would design in a config button, so we can have the background color of our own choosing! Of course, he'll have to let us have the text color of our own choosing as well, otherwise the white text turns invisible on a white background.

That invisible text might not be a bad idea for some of the comments.

Jerry Doe · Apr 17, 2014

I could program the forum with a white background at the click of a button. The problem is it would take a while as I need to redo every graphic. Maybe I will do that next time I have time. At the moment it takes all my spare time dealing with forum spam, fake sign ups, hackers etc. The reason the site is like this is because I always tried to simulate the black gold of a Commando. I am not sure if you have seen it or if it will help, but look at top right, just below "Advanced Search". You will see an A with an up and down arrow each side. I programmed that a few years ago so you could enlarge the font. Perhaps that will help? Try it out.

Cheers

JimC · Apr 17, 2014

Jerry Doe said:
I could program the forum with a white background at the click of a button. The problem is it would take a while as I need to redo every graphic. Maybe I will do that next time I have time. At the moment it takes all my spare time dealing with forum spam, fake sign ups, hackers etc. The reason the site is like this is because I always tried to simulate the black gold of a Commando. I am not sure if you have seen it or if it will help, but look at top right, just below "Advanced Search". You will see an A with an up and down arrow each side. I programmed that a few years ago so you could enlarge the font. Perhaps that will help? Try it out.

Cheers

No, no it's not a big deal. By all means, don't bother at the expense of your other chores. Just one of the things you put up with when you get older.

Thanks for the response.

Jerry Doe · Apr 17, 2014

I think its a great idea - stay tuned... I will see what i can do.

texasSlick · Apr 17, 2014

JimC said:
texasSlick said:

I'll bet Jerry can and would design in a config button, so we can have the background color of our own choosing! Of course, he'll have to let us have the text color of our own choosing as well, otherwise the white text turns invisible on a white background.

Click to expand...

That invisible text might not be a bad idea for some of the comments.

Hey Jim! That is a great idea! Maybe when Jerry has the time, he can gives us a way to blacklist our least favorite contributors....or would it be a whitelist?.....er...a whiteout list?....or for us who like the black background it would still be a blacklist, or rather a blackout list. I think I should stop before I get on Jerry's S list.

phil yates · Apr 17, 2014

Jerry Doe said:
I could program the forum with a white background at the click of a button. The problem is it would take a while as I need to redo every graphic. Maybe I will do that next time I have time. At the moment it takes all my spare time dealing with forum spam, fake sign ups, hackers etc. The reason the site is like this is because I always tried to simulate the black gold of a Commando. I am not sure if you have seen it or if it will help, but look at top right, just below "Advanced Search". You will see an A with an up and down arrow each side. I programmed that a few years ago so you could enlarge the font. Perhaps that will help? Try it out.

Cheers

What ever you do Jerry, I don't want Hobot coming out of his darkened room. No more than I liked golum escaping the mountain.
He scares me enough when I can't see him!

Jerry Doe · Dec 5, 2014

Hi All,

I will post an announcement about this, but wanted to update this post also. I have created a lighter theme for those who cannot see well with the dark background. I think that I have ironed the bugs out of it and it is ready to go. Let me know if you see any errors. Here is how to switch to the lighter theme and you can switch back the the default dark theme any time.

Movie tutorial:
http://jerrydoe.com/AccessNorton-Theme.mp4

Instructions:
- After logging in go to the control panel > Board Preferences.
- Find the drop down menu option call "My Board Style" and switch it from "Norton_Commando_Forum" to "Norton_Commando_Light".
- Click save at bottom of page and you are done. The system should remember your choice when you log back in next time.

Note- After you switch all the info will be exactly the same.

Jerry

daveparry · Dec 5, 2014

I've never had any issues with the white on black background of this forum, I think it's great the way it is. (I have 69 year old eyes too!)

Dave.

Nater_Potater · Dec 5, 2014

Y'know, I tried it light and dark; think I'll stick with the dark as most everything else I view is light. Different is good!

kommando · Dec 5, 2014

he can gives us a way to blacklist our least favorite contributors

Go into your profile and add the offending poster to 'Foes', next time you come to the list their posts will be blanked out but with an option to display.

JimC · Dec 5, 2014

Thanks, Jerry. I can now find the cursor in the white background. Text is easier, for me anyway, to read.

kerinorton · Dec 5, 2014

Good thinking Jerry. For us illiterate computer users, your demo was perfect. Your suggestion for removing older private messages had me stumped for a while but worked it out in the end so hope many of us have reduced the stored info to acceptable levels for you.
All the best, Dereck

Onder · Dec 5, 2014

If you use Opera browser you can just change the view to user mode instead of author mode and you
will see it black letters white background.

Jerry Doe · Dec 5, 2014

In user mode of Opera it does not work well as all CSS styling is lost, so you just see a huge list. But it is on a white BG.

Black background

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