Dark Background Default

[Mike_Cal'06]

I have heard that computer screens use less energy to have black than to have white. Perhaps NB could change the default color to a darker color to save energy. Individual users who prefer to use more energy can set their own settings to one of the color preferences, so nobody would be forced to endure colors they find undesirable.

Anyone know if this can be done?

Mike

[dseltzer]

I just did it. Go to the "Change the Style" drop-down menu at the bottom of the main page and choose "Black."

It's pretty awful in some other ways (the olive title bars) but I'll seen if I can adjust over the next few days, now that you've pointed out the energy savings :)

Edited to fix the name of the menu.

[dseltzer]

...and another thing,

Jake, when you choose the Black option there's a problem at the top of the main page. You just get a bunch of white lines instead of a list of who's online and today's birthdays. Maybe a problem with the font/background color?

[skibum]

2 things:

1. If you have an lcd screen (e.g. laptop or "flat screen" monitor), the monitor uses the same energy regardless of whether the screen is producing black, white or pink pixels - so there's no savings at all if you're using one. Now, if you have a CRT monitor (i.e. big thing with an ass 18 inches long hanging out the back) there is an energy savings.

2. (This isn't meant as a "don't bother me!" statement, but rather a simple statement of fact :)): Right now all of my "play with nb graphics/themes time," (which is an incredibly small amount of time) is going towards reworking the themes for the upcoming software upgrade.

And, as usual, I can't count at the beginning:

3. If there are any folks who are good at web graphics and/or xml coding and want to help - please, please, please IM me!

J

[dseltzer]

Speaking as the owner of some pink pixels, I'm relieved to hear it! I've actually gone back to good-old beige, since while I don't care for it, it's familiar and works fine on my screen.

Jake, thanks for all you do. If I had any idea at all how to help I'd try to create a fashionable pink-and-black color scheme for us, but I don't think my Microsoft Publisher web design skills are up to this one.:rolleyes