Subject: Re: The "Allow screen colors other than White" option
From: Tom Briggs (tomabi@jules.briggs.cx)
Date: Sat Mar 31 2001 - 16:24:37 CST
On Sun, 1 Apr 2001, Martin Sevior wrote:
> If you have a non-transperent color for the abi canvas it is enabled and
> you can choose a different screen color.
>
> If you have a transperent screen color (defaults to white) the option to
> choose a different color for you canvas is disabled.
>
> If you want to choose a new screen color you must press the check box,
> then press choose a new color.
Ok, so this functions as I thought. However, that leaves me asking the
same question - why require the user to check the checkbox before allowing
them to select a screen color? If you want a non-white screen color,
press the "Choose Screen Color" button and select one. If not, don't.
As the value of the checkbox isn't saved, and the decision to use or
not to use a different screen color is based solely on whether the
TransparentColor preference item equals "ffffff", I see no reason why this
checkbox is necessary.
> If you want to make you screen color go transparent (white) uncheck the
> box.
This assumes you've already changed the background color to something
non-white. If you've changed it to something non-white and you want to
change it back to white, well, then... you can use the color selector to
change it back to white (you obviously already know how to use the color
selector...)
> I personally really like this feature. I now default to a non-white
> pastel shade. It is much easier on my eyes and playing with the screen
> color gives me something to do while searching for inspiration on what
> I write.
I have absolutely no questions about the utility of this feature. It's
just the design of the option I'm questioning. :)
> Anyway the reason it is like this to try to distinguish it from the
> "Background color" which both printable and exportable. This color is pure
> eye-candy.
Aha. I wondered what the difference was. I thought that the option
might serve as a default background color, but now I see the
difference. Thanks for making that clear.
> I'm open to suggestions for better wording or different GUI behaviour.
It's probably fairly obvious by now that I think the checkbox should be
removed. :) At the very least the wording of the checkbox should be
changed to something like "Use a non-white screen color" - I think the
current wording implies that the option controls screen colors throughout
the app, which it doesn't.
-Tom
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