Recommended theme for TheWord
Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 6:33 am
Hello again.
I have discovered that, as I do more and more reading on the computer screen, whatever I can do to reduce eye strain becomes all the more important. This became especially apparent to me on my smart phone, during the past one year that I have used one, as the screen was even smaller, and the problem of eye strain, more serious. As I searched, I discovered that, the higher the contrast, the more legible the screen elements became, and that, to reduce eye strain itself, it was preferable to use light-colored text on a dark-colored background, in a way comparable to the way that DOS worked on old CRT monitors.
Notwithstanding, the high-contrast layouts for the Operating System that Windows offers for the handicapped, is an extreme example, perhaps even an exaggeration, in terms of my own needs, as it goes so far as to reduce the functionality of some programs, making certain screen elements nearly invisible, for example, or changing the color scheme completely. While I agree that function is more important than form, I think that those high-contrast layouts are only useful for people who really have no other choice. Moreover, readjusting the screen from a high-contrast format to a normal format, and back again, can sometimes take over three minutes each way, so it is preferable for each program to offer its own solution, rather than to depend on the OS (until Windows comes up with a less-extreme layout of its own.)
I have come to the point where I can usually find a nice dark-theme for nearly any program or any app, including for Firefox (e.g. "Dark Background and Light Text") and even Samsung offers some modest higher-contrast themes for its Android format. MySword offers a beautiful dark theme that makes reading the Bible very easy on the eyes (see screenshot below). Some programs come close, using "light gray" text on a "dark gray" background, but the idea is to have as much contrast as possible; consequently "white" text on a "black" background is the ideal combination, not for the icons and other elements but for the text that is to be read.
I have been trying to find a similar theme for TheWord, but none seems to be available among the "skins" offered. The ones called "Eos" and "Elements" are close, but the bookview windows do not seem to conform to their respective color schemes, while certain icons and other screen elements retain their original colors to the point that they become hard to see. (See screenshot below)
I am writing today to propose a very simple "skin" to add to your collection. In this case, it would not be for the sake of personal preferences but for the sake of practicality; for reducing eye strain while increasing to a small degree, legibility (especially for those of us who have less-than-perfect vision, but who are not yet handicapped.)
1. One possibility (which may be rather easy to implement) is simply to add the option of "inverting" whatever color scheme the user selects. That way he can choose the brightest theme and then immediately convert it into a dark one. He could perhaps come up with lots of interesting possibilities. (See screenshot of the "theword default theme" inverted with color retained.)
2. If it is not possible to invert any skin with one click, perhaps you could just choose one of them, and invert it yourself as the only dark theme offered.
3. Another possibility is to offer such an inverted scheme, but then to convert it into black-and-white or grayscale, similar to the "materiel" themes used on some programs. (see screenshot).
While any of these options would not be colorful, they would at least be useful to those of us who prefer function to form.
When in doubt, please read the captions above each screenshot below.
I have discovered that, as I do more and more reading on the computer screen, whatever I can do to reduce eye strain becomes all the more important. This became especially apparent to me on my smart phone, during the past one year that I have used one, as the screen was even smaller, and the problem of eye strain, more serious. As I searched, I discovered that, the higher the contrast, the more legible the screen elements became, and that, to reduce eye strain itself, it was preferable to use light-colored text on a dark-colored background, in a way comparable to the way that DOS worked on old CRT monitors.
Notwithstanding, the high-contrast layouts for the Operating System that Windows offers for the handicapped, is an extreme example, perhaps even an exaggeration, in terms of my own needs, as it goes so far as to reduce the functionality of some programs, making certain screen elements nearly invisible, for example, or changing the color scheme completely. While I agree that function is more important than form, I think that those high-contrast layouts are only useful for people who really have no other choice. Moreover, readjusting the screen from a high-contrast format to a normal format, and back again, can sometimes take over three minutes each way, so it is preferable for each program to offer its own solution, rather than to depend on the OS (until Windows comes up with a less-extreme layout of its own.)
I have come to the point where I can usually find a nice dark-theme for nearly any program or any app, including for Firefox (e.g. "Dark Background and Light Text") and even Samsung offers some modest higher-contrast themes for its Android format. MySword offers a beautiful dark theme that makes reading the Bible very easy on the eyes (see screenshot below). Some programs come close, using "light gray" text on a "dark gray" background, but the idea is to have as much contrast as possible; consequently "white" text on a "black" background is the ideal combination, not for the icons and other elements but for the text that is to be read.
I have been trying to find a similar theme for TheWord, but none seems to be available among the "skins" offered. The ones called "Eos" and "Elements" are close, but the bookview windows do not seem to conform to their respective color schemes, while certain icons and other screen elements retain their original colors to the point that they become hard to see. (See screenshot below)
I am writing today to propose a very simple "skin" to add to your collection. In this case, it would not be for the sake of personal preferences but for the sake of practicality; for reducing eye strain while increasing to a small degree, legibility (especially for those of us who have less-than-perfect vision, but who are not yet handicapped.)
1. One possibility (which may be rather easy to implement) is simply to add the option of "inverting" whatever color scheme the user selects. That way he can choose the brightest theme and then immediately convert it into a dark one. He could perhaps come up with lots of interesting possibilities. (See screenshot of the "theword default theme" inverted with color retained.)
2. If it is not possible to invert any skin with one click, perhaps you could just choose one of them, and invert it yourself as the only dark theme offered.
3. Another possibility is to offer such an inverted scheme, but then to convert it into black-and-white or grayscale, similar to the "materiel" themes used on some programs. (see screenshot).
While any of these options would not be colorful, they would at least be useful to those of us who prefer function to form.
When in doubt, please read the captions above each screenshot below.