Color contrast for visiblity

As I age, Logos becomes harder and harder to use. There simply is not enough color contrast.

For example, when I click on the 3-stacked dots (to open a panel’s menu), it is as close to impossible as you can get to see the slide bar to control the text size in the open resource. The slide is virtually the same color as the background color of the panel menu. Unless my ambient light is perfect, I can just barely see the slide bar, to adjust the font size of the open resource.

I find it difficult to see many of the slide bars (on the edge of open resources) and the little arrows and other control buttons because they lack sharp color contrast to their surroundings.

When I have multiple resources open in different windows, the side-by-side active and “inactive” windows are identical, save for a very thin orange line at the top of the tab of the active window. Is it not possible to have the background color of the active window a different hue so that it is immediately apparent which window is active?

Is it not possible to evaluate the color contrast and visibility of the various windows, sliders, control items (arrows, etc.) to ensure they provide enough color contrast?

Or perhaps, have I missed something in settings menu?

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Comments

Robert M. Warren

Hi Chuck:

You're playing my song. Not only am I an old man, I have an inherited retinal condition that is progressive, but workable if screen elements are contrasty enough. For mobility purposes, I am Mr. Magoo, but I still hold a work-at-home job (thanks be to God).

On my work computer, I use one of Win 10's High Contrast themes. It has downsides, such as Excel's cell and text shadings aren't visible, and I have to jump back to a regular theme for screenshot-type things, but it generally works out well. However, the last time I tried a High Contrast theme on my own computer, Logos didn't like it: text on most resources disappeared. I assume the presentation layer used to code L8 isn't designed to behave well in these themes.

The good news is that, in a regular display theme, for the actual text in resources, Logos behaves much, much better than many web pages and phone/tablet apps, and is very readable and controllable from my perspective. The bad news, of course, is what you have mentioned: some interface elements are rascally. The scroll bars and buttons do get a little darker, once you find them (!?), but that's like calling someone to get their phone number. And yes, the text-size slider is quite a trial sometimes.

When my eyes get overly-tired, I sometimes invoke Negative Screen (see Wiki), which is a very good and usable program, but it does not necessarily remedy the low-contrast problems with interface elements; it only changes their relative color.

Over the years, I've noticed that many web pages, web browsers, and phone/tablet apps have become more difficult to read. Yes, a large part is due to my eye problems, but an equally large part is the interface zeitgeist. Somewhere along the way, programmers and UI designers have decided it's 'cool' to use low-contrast, feeble, gray-scale text in interface elements (and sometimes, the actual text!), and disappearing elements such as scrollbars and buttons. I'm not sure if this is a perceived demand of the target demographic(s), or if the designers think they'll get an exhibit in some museum. I am sad that this is unlikely to change.

Chuck Forsythe

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1112942#Comment_1112942

Hi Robert:

Sadly, I think your conculsion is correct.

Meaning, I live with the unnecessary frustration (as I see it) until the frustration becomes too great and thousands of resrouces sit unused.

GaoLu

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1113037#Comment_1113037

How much advantage can you gain by adjusting your screen color, brightness, and contrast settings?

Robert M. Warren

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1113046#Comment_1113046

How much advantage can you gain by adjusting your screen color, brightness, and contrast settings?

Thanks for the tip, GaoLu. I had tried that some time ago using some rinky-dink Dell applet. This time I tried the Intel graphics controls. I only made it worse. I'm sure there's some combination of Contrast and Brightness that might help, i just don't know which direction each should go, relatively. I didn't touch the other things like gamma, hue, etc. Maybe if Chuck is able to find a combination that works, he can report back.

Chuck Forsythe

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1113046#Comment_1113046

GaoLu:

Thank you for the suggestion. It is something I can try.

At the risk of sounding "whiney", But why?

Why should I need to tinker with universal settings that affect all the apps (many of which already provide the nice, sharp color contrast that make them easy to use)?

In the end, your solution may be quite helpful and I am thankful for it. But, it seems to me, software developers should be concerned about making their interface useable first.

I am sorry if that sounds grumpy. I do not want to be grumpy. I have found Faithlife to be very responsive.

GaoLu

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1113142#Comment_1113142

I don't think you are being whiney or grumpy; you have a very good point. I have fairly good vision (for an old duffer), and I think a little more contrast or color would be helpful. Maybe we will get it in Logos Millennium. Thanks for bringing this up.

Chuck Forsythe

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1113155#Comment_1113155

So I have tried the various color contrasts and saturation I could find in Windows 10. None of them improved my situation for me.

In fact, most made it worse.

TCBlack

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1113159#Comment_1113159

I can only commiserate. My eyesight is not what it used to be, and it has never been good.