Comments on: On the readability of inverted color schemes http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/ Tips and Commentary on Web Accessibility, Usability, and Search Marketing best practices. Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:32:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Joe Dolson http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-27865 Joe Dolson Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:20:49 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-27865 Since monitors are a projected light source regardless of the color of the light, I think the light-exposure and power-use issue is going to happen no matter what colors you use - even the blacks may actually be projected light. I don't know whether the color of light makes a difference in terms of eyestrain, but certainly turning the screen brightness down will make a huge difference! That will actually have an effect on the quantity of light generated, and reduce the impact on your eyes. (Unless, of course, you turn it down too far...in which case your eyes may be working just as hard to perceive the monitor at all.) Since I spend an inordinately large amount of time at the computer, I tend to keep the screen brightness turned down, except for when I'm doing design work, of course... There is, in fact, a document discussing white on blue text which talks about WordPerfect. It's <a href="http://webword.com/reports/contrast.html" rel="nofollow">by John Rhodes</a>, from WebWord. The articles he references are the same I referenced above, but he does say: <blockquote cite="http://webword.com/reports/contrast.html"> In any event, the white on blue contrast provides especially good contrast in low brightness environments. And, as William told me, this was very useful when refresh rates were slower (i.e., less than 60 Hz). The white on blue contrast in such situations reduced perceived flicker. </blockquote> So, that's interesting information! Thanks for your comments, Petter! Since monitors are a projected light source regardless of the color of the light, I think the light-exposure and power-use issue is going to happen no matter what colors you use - even the blacks may actually be projected light. I don’t know whether the color of light makes a difference in terms of eyestrain, but certainly turning the screen brightness down will make a huge difference! That will actually have an effect on the quantity of light generated, and reduce the impact on your eyes. (Unless, of course, you turn it down too far…in which case your eyes may be working just as hard to perceive the monitor at all.)

Since I spend an inordinately large amount of time at the computer, I tend to keep the screen brightness turned down, except for when I’m doing design work, of course…

There is, in fact, a document discussing white on blue text which talks about WordPerfect. It’s by John Rhodes, from WebWord. The articles he references are the same I referenced above, but he does say:

In any event, the white on blue contrast provides especially good contrast in low brightness environments. And, as William told me, this was very useful when refresh rates were slower (i.e., less than 60 Hz). The white on blue contrast in such situations reduced perceived flicker.

So, that’s interesting information!

Thanks for your comments, Petter!

]]> By: Petter Nybråten http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-27864 Petter Nybråten Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:05:28 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-27864 Thanks for looking into a very interesting subject. Lately, my time reading webpages has gone up considerably due to studying. My eyes becoming sore, I've been reminiscing about the good old WordPerfect for DOS in the early nineties. Remember, it used a white-on-blue on-screen scheme? To me, this has always seemed better for ones eyes due to less total light exposure. After reading your article, I'm not so sure anymore. I'm interested in another aspect also, though. Saving energy. I was very surprised to find out that lcds don't save any power on lighter colors. However, having turned my screen brightness level down from 75 to 15 (!!!), my eyes are now so much better. And this HAS to make me more energy efficient. Anyway, my point is that these are connected considerations to make while designing for the web. I haven't found much on it, but I'm sure there was something relevant to these issues prompting the developers of WordPerfect to make it as they did. Thanks for looking into a very interesting subject.

Lately, my time reading webpages has gone up considerably due to studying. My eyes becoming sore, I’ve been reminiscing about the good old WordPerfect for DOS in the early nineties. Remember, it used a white-on-blue on-screen scheme? To me, this has always seemed better for ones eyes due to less total light exposure. After reading your article, I’m not so sure anymore.

I’m interested in another aspect also, though. Saving energy. I was very surprised to find out that lcds don’t save any power on lighter colors. However, having turned my screen brightness level down from 75 to 15 (!!!), my eyes are now so much better. And this HAS to make me more energy efficient.

Anyway, my point is that these are connected considerations to make while designing for the web. I haven’t found much on it, but I’m sure there was something relevant to these issues prompting the developers of WordPerfect to make it as they did.

]]> By: Joe Dolson http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-25723 Joe Dolson Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:23:51 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-25723 Thanks, Eric. I'm glad it was helpful for you. It can be a difficult area to pin down, since a significant element <em>is</em> personal preference -- but there is still an identifiable aspect which is measurable. Thanks, Eric. I’m glad it was helpful for you. It can be a difficult area to pin down, since a significant element is personal preference — but there is still an identifiable aspect which is measurable.

]]> By: Eric http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-25632 Eric Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:32:01 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-25632 Thanks Joe for the in depth research, exactly what I have been searching for! I am an Information Architect, and have asked my Usability colleagues about this issue. Though they all speculated that dark text on light backgrounds was the "Correct" way, none of them could point to any research on the topic. I myself prefer the dark on light combo, but I do not find the light on dark to be as annoying as others do. Except the extreme cases, like one might see on MySpace, where some people make the text a bright and saturated, pink lets say, text on a blue background... something like that makes my head hurt. I started down this path because it seems so counter intuitive, with less light shooting out of the monitor at your eyes, one would think you would have less eye fatigue? But as my colleague pointed out, we need light to see. Thanks again! Great stuff. Thanks Joe for the in depth research, exactly what I have been searching for! I am an Information Architect, and have asked my Usability colleagues about this issue. Though they all speculated that dark text on light backgrounds was the “Correct” way, none of them could point to any research on the topic. I myself prefer the dark on light combo, but I do not find the light on dark to be as annoying as others do. Except the extreme cases, like one might see on MySpace, where some people make the text a bright and saturated, pink lets say, text on a blue background… something like that makes my head hurt. I started down this path because it seems so counter intuitive, with less light shooting out of the monitor at your eyes, one would think you would have less eye fatigue? But as my colleague pointed out, we need light to see. Thanks again! Great stuff.

]]> By: Joe Dolson http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-18976 Joe Dolson Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:57:39 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-18976 Ironically, that method ties in very closely with another article I wrote recently - <a href="http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2007/06/invisible-text-selection-background-inheritance/">Invisible Text Selection</a>. The general reaction I got on that article was that other people don't seem to notice this problem very often - but it sounds like you use text selection in such a manner that you might come across it! Ironically, that method ties in very closely with another article I wrote recently - Invisible Text Selection. The general reaction I got on that article was that other people don’t seem to notice this problem very often - but it sounds like you use text selection in such a manner that you might come across it!

]]> By: Elenor Snow http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-18945 Elenor Snow Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:15:19 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-18945 I'm not (particularly) disabled in my sight (other than being 51 years of age), and yet when I get to a site I need to, or strongly want to, read that is white on black -- I use CTRL A (the PC keycode for highlight all) to turn the text into dark blue on white (my user settings). That allows me to read the text. {shrug} It works for me. I wish the 'trend' of light text on dark backgrounds would hurry up and pass by though. I’m not (particularly) disabled in my sight (other than being 51 years of age), and yet when I get to a site I need to, or strongly want to, read that is white on black — I use CTRL A (the PC keycode for highlight all) to turn the text into dark blue on white (my user settings). That allows me to read the text.

{shrug} It works for me. I wish the ‘trend’ of light text on dark backgrounds would hurry up and pass by though.

]]> By: Joe Dolson http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-18391 Joe Dolson Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:41:20 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-18391 I believe you're right --- I think I've read the same thing somewhere. Like you said, it does sound plausible, at any rate. I believe you’re right — - I think I’ve read the same thing somewhere. Like you said, it does sound plausible, at any rate.

]]> By: shayne http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-18372 shayne Thu, 02 Aug 2007 04:13:49 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-18372 I'm told its got something to do with what happens when you stare at a bright object such as a largely white screen. your pupils dilate, which increases the sharpness of your vision. Reverse it around, and so does the dilation. Not entirely sure who it was that told me that, but it does sound plausible. I’m told its got something to do with what happens when you stare at a bright object such as a largely white screen. your pupils dilate, which increases the sharpness of your vision. Reverse it around, and so does the dilation.

Not entirely sure who it was that told me that, but it does sound plausible.

]]> By: Joe Dolson http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-16765 Joe Dolson Tue, 26 Jun 2007 22:04:35 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-16765 You disagree with...what, exactly? Your comments are certainly valuable, but I'm not sure that they actually pertain to the article I've written. What this article does, basically, is summarize research on the readability of various color schemes. I concluded with the very straightforward claim "that a preference for one or the other is predominantly related to personal preference." The study I cite which <em>does</em> state that black on white was the best choice is only specifying that black on white is better than the other color choices studied: and I don't think many would argue that black text on white is a better choice than green text on yellow. Very high contrast is absolutely a readability problem: but white on black is just as high a contrast as black on white. The comparison being made here is generically "dark text on light background" vs. "light text on dark background." The subtleties of the full color spectrum just aren't part of the question. Thanks for your comments, though - I find your suggestions of the cultural element to be very interesting. You disagree with…what, exactly? Your comments are certainly valuable, but I’m not sure that they actually pertain to the article I’ve written.

What this article does, basically, is summarize research on the readability of various color schemes. I concluded with the very straightforward claim “that a preference for one or the other is predominantly related to personal preference.”

The study I cite which does state that black on white was the best choice is only specifying that black on white is better than the other color choices studied: and I don’t think many would argue that black text on white is a better choice than green text on yellow.

Very high contrast is absolutely a readability problem: but white on black is just as high a contrast as black on white. The comparison being made here is generically “dark text on light background” vs. “light text on dark background.” The subtleties of the full color spectrum just aren’t part of the question.

Thanks for your comments, though - I find your suggestions of the cultural element to be very interesting.

]]> By: EasyTiger http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-16763 EasyTiger Tue, 26 Jun 2007 20:51:19 +0000 http://www.joedolson.com/articles/2006/08/on-the-readability-of-inverted-color-schemes/#comment-16763 I disagree. I have more trouble reading black on white BECAUSE of the higher contrast. I think this points more to everyone's personal preference being different rather than any scientific rigor that suggests there is a 'natural' tendency towards one or the other. I'd also hazard to suggest there could be a cultural element to it too, because it's only really been since the advent of the computer that it was largely feasible to do white on black or other combinations in a mass media way. It would be similar to doing a Western text book reading right to left, and then asking people whether they prefer right to left or left to right. I disagree. I have more trouble reading black on white BECAUSE of the higher contrast. I think this points more to everyone’s personal preference being different rather than any scientific rigor that suggests there is a ‘natural’ tendency towards one or the other.

I’d also hazard to suggest there could be a cultural element to it too, because it’s only really been since the advent of the computer that it was largely feasible to do white on black or other combinations in a mass media way.
It would be similar to doing a Western text book reading right to left, and then asking people whether they prefer right to left or left to right.

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