"Code Sandwiches"

[Jonathan M Davis]

On Friday 11 March 2011 07:35:09 Andrei Alexandrescu wrote:
> On 3/11/11 5:21 AM, David Nadlinger wrote:
> > On 3/11/11 11:30 AM, spir wrote:
> >> I do agree. I also wish -- something much easier to do -- they would
> >> care for our nerval systems & stop saturating them with non-information
> >> (white backgrounds).
> > 
> > Is there any scientific data to back this assumption?
> > 
> > David
> 
> Paper has white background, which worked quite well for it.

The problem with a white background on a computer screen is that a computer 
screen projects light whereas paper merely reflects it. So, while reading black 
on white works great with paper, it's harder on the eyes with a computer screen. 
But naturally, the folks doing the computer stuff have typically emulated paper, 
so most text read via the computer is still black on white. This can help cause 
eye strain though, which is one of the reason that there are plenty of 
programmers out there who mess with the color scheme of at least their code 
editor to make it light text on a dark background.

Now, beyond some eye strain in some folks, I'm not aware of there being any real 
problems with black text on white with a computer screen - certainly nothing 
about the saturation of light with non-information harming your nervous system 
(I'm really not sure what Spir means here). But I don't think that there's much 
question that reading black on white is harder on your eyes on a computer screen 
than it is on paper. Still, I wouldn't expect computers to do white on black or 
anything similar at this point. The whole black on white thing is just too 
ingrained in people.

- Jonathan M Davis