Opinion Poll

When viewing a website, which do you think is easier on the eyes?

1. Dark text on a light background

2. Light text on a dark background (Assume there is contrast limiting, ie... no bright yellow text on pure black)


Most of my site is a dark gray background, with a light gray text... the text actually looks white against the dark background.  I am trying to decide whether or not to skin the IPB forums the same way, or leave them as dark text on a light background.  Most internet forum users are probably accustomed to dark text on a light background, and my inclination is to just leave it alone.  Just wondered what everybody else thinks.

We had a lot of complaints about the dark background with light text on our site, so we decided to go with a lighter text box area.  I think its good comprise it keeps our dark branding but also

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I think the lighter areas will keep people around longer, I have no real data to back that up just a hunch.

I think it looks good that way you have it.


I also think i found a IPB bug. Still doing more message and topic delete testing to try and confirm it. If it is a bug, i will have to rewrite my spy to get around it.

Light text on dark background easier on your eyes. Dark text on light background easier to read.

RE:

I've heard that a lot.  It's why my inclination is to leave the forums alone where reading is typically more intense.  I guess it's a good argument for giving users a choice of templates.  I wasn't going to do  that, but I probably should.

RE:

I'm pretty sure I have too.  I can't get the sub forum listings to be displayed on the forum home in 3.0.5.  It worked fine in 3.0.2.   There's a setting for this in admin, but is has no effect.  At first, I thought it might have something to do with the edits on the global template, but it doesn't.  It's driving me nuts.

HL it really depends on the color of the eyes that the person has.  I have done tons of research on this and the overwelming statistics depend on who has Blue eye's Like I do and people who have Green eye are going to love the Dark background and the people who have brown eyes or dark eyes are more tolerant or can accept a light background........I have seen so many articles that say black backgrounds and light text is not a good idea but I have never seen a report that correlates the color of a persons eyes.

Approximately 8% of the world's population has blue eyes. However, if you chose 100 people at random in northern Europe or even the U.S., you'd likely end up with more than 8 blue-eyed people in the group, since blue eyes are more common in some areas than in others.

Still, I have blue eyes, and I didn't realize that they were that unusual:   Notice I also said tolerant my thougt here is if Blue and Green Eyed people eyes are sensitive to light then they are the ones you want to understand the most BC if it is something they like odds are everyone else will be fine and what they are looking at will be easier on their eyes...... 

My site uses dark text on light background but personally, I like the look of light text on dark background (and I have brown eyes). The reason I use the light background is I have many members that are older with failing vision and they have a lot of trouble dealing with dark backgrounds....

IMHO, I would say if your site is used mostly by young people and you want to 'edge it up a bit' then light text/dark background is the way to go but to be more functional and make it easier on the older folk, stick with the basics....

BTW, I was searching skins the other day and I found one that I thought was outstanding. That's saying a lot since skins RaReLy ever excite me. Check out the 'firestarter' skin in the Market. You want an edge? that dude's got it.

 Very well said.....

 He had several skins there and there is alot to be said for that firestater and all the action colors attached to it.......