[Python-Dev] Playing with a new theme for the docs, iteration 2 (original) (raw)

Terry Reedy tjreedy at udel.edu
Sun Mar 25 23:42:33 CEST 2012

On 3/25/2012 12:32 PM, Georg Brandl wrote:

On 25.03.2012 17:54, Terry Reedy wrote:

On 3/25/2012 2:34 AM, Georg Brandl wrote:

Here's another try, mainly with default browser font size, more contrast

Untrue. You still changed the high contrast dark blue to the same low contrast light blue for builtin names, etc. What problem do you think you are trying to solve by making the doc difficult and even PAINFUL for me to read? - a lot more than 1 "More contrast" was meant in comparison to iteration #1.

It is still subjectively dim enough to me that I could not tell from memory.

I ran the following experiment: I put old and new versions of the buitin functions page side-by-side in separate browser windows. I asked my teenage daughter to come into the room, approach slowly, and say when she could read one or both windows. At about 5 feet, she could (just) read the old but not the new.

If other people repeat the experiment and get the same result, it would then be fair to say that the new style is objectively less readable in regard to this one aspect.

Hmm, don't you think you'll get used to the new style in a while?

This is a bit like asking a wheelchair user if he would get used to having a ramp ground down to add little one-inch steps every two feet, because leg-abled people found that somehow more aesthetic.

Answer: somewhat.

Wired magazine has used a similar thin blue font. I got used to that by ignoring any text written with it.

The link color is not actually that light in comparison.

Using a magnifying glass, the difference seems to be more one of thickness -- 2 pixel lines versus 1-1.5 pixel lines. I have astigmatism that is only partly correctable and the residual blurring of single-pixel lines tends to somewhat mix text color with the background color.

Of course you can always use a user stylesheet to override our choices.

Can anyone tell me the best way to do that with FireFox? Is it even possible with the Windows help version, which is what I usually use?

-- Terry Jan Reedy

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