Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!mattd
From: mattd@Apple.COM (Matt Deatherage)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: 1 request for a tool change
Message-ID: <52939@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 15 May 91 23:32:15 GMT
References: <3522@kluge.fiu.edu> <52608@apple.Apple.COM> <3574@kluge.fiu.edu>
Organization: Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, CA
Lines: 67

In article <3574@kluge.fiu.edu> acmfiu@serss0.fiu.edu (ACMFIU) writes:
>In article <3522@kluge.fiu.edu> acmfiu@serss0.fiu.edu (ACMFIU) writes:
>]
>]]all i want ... ... is for horizontal/vertical scroll bars to have
>]]color.
>]
>]Any particular color?  Or, are you talking about color tables? (which they
>]already have as of system 5.0.x).
>]
>]]albert
>]
>]andy
>]
>
>do you want to tell me how to do it. if i specify either scroll bar with 
>my window, i don't see where i can specify the colors. now, i think if i
>create the separate parts of the scroll bar as controls then i can use
>color tables. however, the former is much easier.
>
You didn't _say_ you wanted window frame scroll bars to have colors, you
said "scroll bars" (quoted above).  Andy was pointing out that scroll bars,
which are merely controls, have always had color tables.  If you'd reach
up to look in Volume 1 you'd see that, but be careful -- reaching too fast
might knock that chip off your shoulder, and we wouldn't want that.

What you apparently meant to ask was that window frame scroll bars (handled
by TaskMaster) have color tables, which would require extending the NewWindow2
parameter block.  Possible, but not all that high a priority (IMHO), see below.

>i don't want the scroll bars to be just one color. i mean any allowable
>color, just like for the windows. personally i want the colors to be the
>inverse of what they are now. i don't much like white backgrounds but would
>love to have a black background with white foreground to match my window.
>
>albert

They obviously can't be _one_ color or they'd be solid rectangles.  The
current ones are two colors - black and white.

However, the "inverse" scroll bars you talk about represent a real danger which
we already see with some IIgs programs - windows, menus and controls that look
like they were designed by someone fascinated with a new box of crayons.  It's
true that the original HI guidelines were all black and white because that's
all the Macintosh had, but the research on color since then has shown us
several things:

1)  A significant percentage of people are color blind, so colors should
    _never_ be used solely to distinguish between options.

2)  Many people don't like some colors, so leaving things black and white and
    letting users color them how they like is the optimal solution.

3)  Brightly-colored windows and icons (unless colored by the user) are often
    distracting and interfere with productive work.  You'll notice that all of
    the new color icons in System 7.0 use very subdued colors (grays, browns,
    some blues, purples).  I've seen GS desktops full of brightly-colored
    icons and they always make me feel like I'm looking at a coloring book.

So, in general, leave your windows and controls standard colors or provide an
option to let people color them however they like.  Forcing your preferences
on them is worse than leaving them the neutral colors they get by default.
-- 
============================================================================
Matt Deatherage, Developer Technical  | The opinions expressed herein are
Support, Apple Computer, Inc.         | not those of Apple Computer, and
Personal mail only, please.  Thanks.  | shame on you for thinking otherwise.
============================================================================