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From: ralph@utcsrgv.UUCP (ralph hill)
Newsgroups: net.cog-eng
Subject: Re: start off with a bang -- screen colors question...
Message-ID: <1990@utcsrgv.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 18-Aug-83 10:47:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: utcsrgv.1990
Posted: Thu Aug 18 10:47:45 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 18-Aug-83 12:55:08 EDT
References: <3659@sdcsvax.UUCP>
Organization: CSRG, University of Toronto
Lines: 66

Ah yes, the screen colour question.

I have an 18 entry bibliography listing papers addressing such issues.

Unfortunately, I think almost all make assumptions about room light.
Anyway, the most dramatic conclusion I have found was a recommendation
that the monitors used be at least 1k lines tall, 100 hz non-interlaced, 
back characters on white, and quite bright!  Anyone ever seen a monitor
like that??  They wanted it to be back on white, and bright, so that it
could be used in a conventionally (over-)lit office.  Once you do this, 
you need the 100 hz non-interlace to ensure lack of flicker (sensitivity
to flicker increases with brightness).

Another reason for the brightness, is to cause the pupils to constrict,
improving focus.  Apparently, about 80% of the people in (European) offices
have improperly corrected vision!

Personally, I use (at home) white on black, in a dimly lit room.
The bezel is black, and very closely approximates the reflectance of the
screen.  This is quite nice in that there is no harsh constrast in the
primary visual field.  Since I rarely use paper, this works out fine.
If I used paper a lot, I would probably have to turn the lights up
(they're on dimmers like they should be) and go to black on white
(but that means new fonts, better monitor, ....  i.e., $$$).


The two key references are (in my own bibliography format):

German Standards    Safety Regulations for Display Work Places in
1980                the Office Sector.  Hamburg, West Germany:
                    West German Industrial Injuries Insurance In-
                    stitues.

                    Keywords: health and safety, work station
                    layout

                    The German health and safety regulations.
                    Extremely detailed.  Extremely informative
                    (if you dig through it).  Everything you ever
                    wanted to know about how to lay out a work
                    station properly.

                    In Germany, these regulations carry some le-
                    gal weight.  If an employee can show that
                    they were injured on the job, and the em-
                    ployer does not follow the guidelines in this
                    report, the employer may be liable.  I know
                    of no North American firm which makes VDTs 
		    come close to meeting these guidelines.


Grandjean, E.       Ergonomic Aspects of Visual Display
Vigliani, E.        Terminals.  London: Taylor and Francis.
(Eds.)
1980


If anyone knows of a cheap 1k+ line monitor that goes at 100hz
non-interlaced let me know. :-)

-------------------
         Ralph Hill   CSRG   University of Toronto

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