topic Re: Toning Down The Background in Community Site Feedback

Toning Down The Background

shutter — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:40:52 GMT

Before the next round of Forum/Website changes, I wonder if it would be possible to use a "less glaring" background colour..... i.e. NOT WHITE...... Using something like pale grey or pale blue (but deeper than the current version, which is almost non existant) with "high contrast" text colours will be a lot less strain on the eyes......
It is possible to do this with Firefox to change the background colours and even the style by going to this page https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2108 then clicking on Add to Firefox.... once installed, you can then choose from a whole range of add-ons, to customise (and save your eye strain) websites, and even Google search pages... YouTube and Facebook, and probably a whole lot of other sites are catered for.....
If not possible to do this as a PlusNet "upgrade", then perhaps some kind soul would like to write a "style" and upload it for use with Stylish........?

Re: Toning Down The Background

Oldjim — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:13:56 GMT

From memory this was discussed at length after a previous update and there was a lot of flak from those with less than perfect eyesight (this is the PC description - optically challenged) as the contrast was not adequate to make reading the text easy. This was why it was changed to very muted colours and white

Re: Toning Down The Background

shutter — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:59:36 GMT

I understand the "thinking" about the visually impaired. but like many, I find the "overwhelming" amount of "white space" to be a strain on my eyes.... Yes, there is a facility to reduce the screen brightness, but this also reduces the brightness of the text, and so defeats the object..... Hence my reason for adding in the line

Quote

Using something like pale grey or pale blue (but deeper than the current version, which is almost non existant) with "high contrast" text colours will be a lot less strain on the eyes......

This is a feature available in Windows "appearance"...... where you can choose a theme, and also use "high contrast" to make text more easy to read, yet "damping down" the brightness of the page/screen.....
If you have Firefox, I suggest trying the Stylish addon. ..... go to Flickr site, then right click on the S icon, (bottom right above the task bar) and "Find Styles For This Site"..... look for a style called Flickr on beige background...... Install it, then see if there is sufficient "high contrast" between text and background, without the "glare" from the white pages....
As already mentioned.
If PlusNet can`t do it....... can someone please write a style for the PlusNet site, similar colour scheme to Flickr on Beige......and upload it...

Re: Toning Down The Background

hadden — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:38:01 GMT

OK, I was tempted, so here's a go at a Stylish style...


@namespace url(http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml);
@-moz-document domain("plus.net") {
html, body {background-image:none!important;background-color:#AFAF8E!important;}
body div {background-color:#AFAF8E!important;}
#sitemap, .sitemap-col, #dFoot, .dFootblock, #footCorners {background-color: #695564!important;}
#footer_illustration {background-color: #FFFFFF!important;}
#productbox, .productcolumn, .rightbox {background-image:none !important;}
#searcharea div, #searcharea ul, #searcharea li {background-color: #ab1c6c!important;}
#searcharea a, #searcharea label {color:#ffffff!important;}
.halfbox, #faqlist, #productbox, .productcolumn, .introcolumn {background-image:none!important; background-color:#BFBF9E!important;}
#comHeaderContainer {background-image: url('../images/com_hdr_bg.gif')!important;}
#comHeaderContainer div {background-color:transparent!important;}
.catbg3, .msgbg1 td {background-color: #BFBF9E!important; background-image: none!important;}
#bodyarea, #dContent {border:8px solid #9F9F7E!important;}
}

It doesn't work everywhere, so there are odd white bits on some pages, so it could be improved
.. and the warranty ran out on it 1 second before you read this.

Re: Toning Down The Background

shutter — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:18:08 GMT

Have you uploaded it to "styles" ..... and what is the title to look for, ?

Re: Toning Down The Background

hadden — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:27:58 GMT

No, I haven't uploaded it, but you can easily use it by copying and pasting the code into Stylish on your own PC:
[list type=decimal]

Right-click the Stylish icon

Select "Write new style" from the popup menu

Then select "Blank style..." from the next menu.

Give the style a name.

Copy the code and paste it into the main text area.

Click Save

Re: Toning Down The Background

shutter — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:43:35 GMT

OK thanks,.... will give it a go... !

Re: Toning Down The Background

shutter — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:52:48 GMT

Have done it.... Brilliant.... Looks really smart .... and definitely much easier on the eyes.... Great stuff...

Re: Toning Down The Background

hadden — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:00:05 GMT

Thanks for the suggestion
I'm now using it myself as well.
I'll have a look at some of the missing bits later.

Re: Toning Down The Background

shutter — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:12:23 GMT

I see nothing wrong with it!.... the "missing bits", presumably are the lighter (original) areas, which, I think "add" to the effect.... I think it works pretty well as it is... Well Done...

Re: Toning Down The Background

shutter — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:56:06 GMT

For those who want to see the difference...

Re: Toning Down The Background

Oldjim — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:59:23 GMT

As a purely personal opinion - that is awful

Re: Toning Down The Background

MauriceC — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:08:37 GMT

Add a "Me too" to Oldjims' opinion. A retrograde step IMHO

Re: Toning Down The Background

shutter — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:14:39 GMT

Well, each to his own! You could ask JohnJ to change the Hex colours for a different shade.... to suit your personal taste of course.!

Re: Toning Down The Background

shutter — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 09:30:20 GMT

UPDATE.....
If you want to use this "style" on Stylish with Google Chrome, then you need to remove the following line....
@-moz-document domain("plus.net") {
and it should work ok....

Re: Toning Down The Background

James — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:10:56 GMT

Sorry Shutter, your version actually hurts my poor eyes!

Re: Toning Down The Background

198kHz — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 21:36:59 GMT

Mine too!

Re: Toning Down The Background

shutter — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 11:31:35 GMT

Well, It is a lot less "bright" than white space..... and you can always change the colour by changing the hex coding......
( I am sure someone will suggest "nicer" / "easier" colours and the necessary coding... ).... You can google hex colour codes and have a go yourself....
I`m not apologising to anyone if they don`t like it... they don`t have to use it ! ! ! ! ! !

Re: Toning Down The Background

w23 — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:19:11 GMT

Anyone know the hex code for 'Eau deNil' (the colour that traditionally used to be favoured in lunatic assylums for its calming effect)?

Re: Toning Down The Background

Oldjim — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:24:06 GMT

88C090 but I don't think it is very calming
http://www.colorhexa.com/88c090
I prefer badabf
http://www.colorhexa.com/badabf