MyBlindSpot

Join Date 09/2008

The answer to my problems?

As I am visually impaired I need ot use a high contrast colour scheme (white on black). Unfortunately there are a growing number of applications that have problems with this. Some will stubbornly refuse to use my colours, insisting on only using their own colour schemes. Others just get totally confused, and often end up displaying white on white or bacl on black.

Does Stardock offer me a potential solution? Will these tools allow me to force applications into using a colour scheme that works for me?

Thanks

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My question is now rather moot.

I downleaded the trial version of WB, only to find that it doesn't inherit my preferred colour scheme. So, as it uses a light background, it is unusable by me.

SHame. I guess the search for a solution to my problem continues ...

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Quoting MyBlindSpot,

reply 1

My question is now rather moot.

I downleaded the trial version of WB, only to find that it doesn't inherit my preferred colour scheme. So, as it uses a light background, it is unusable by me.

SHame. I guess the search for a solution to my problem continues ...

WB uses the color scheme set in each individual skin when created using SkinStudio. So it may still be a possibility... It's just that the skin would have to be modified (or a high contrast skin created) using SkinStudio. By what degree it will force other apps to use any color scheme would also depend on the app.

Maybe some skinner will come by with more input....

so this is a 'bump'..

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DigitalCHET

Join Date 05/2001

+27

Unfortunately, some software packages do use their own 'skinning' engines and therefore do not adhere to the user's settings. In these cases, it may be worth contacting the developer and highlight to them the need for an accessibility mode that turns off the skinning and allows the application to run with the OS' themeing options.

Even if a high-contrast theme for the visually-impaired were created for WindowBlinds, there would still be applications that would, i dare say, stubbornly refuse to comply.

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BigDogBigFeet

Join Date 12/2005

+461

Does Microsoft have a special version of Windows for those with visual needs? or, a configuration setting that helps this? I know if you use a large monitor with a lower resolution setting of say 800 x 600 you'll get really big images. But coloration problems if they existed would remain.

And yes, DigitalCHET is right, software packages often do their own thing ignoring any user specified settings in Windows or other programs.

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DigitalCHET

Join Date 05/2001

+27

Windows does have specially created high-contrast themes for visually-impaired users, but as MyBlindSpot pointed out, not all developers design their interfaces with those options in mind and in fact choose to totally ignore them, either because it's too much work or because they're too single-minded to provide alternatives.

Perhaps enlisting the help of a relevant association to write letters to developers of specific non-compliant software might do the trick. In the short term though, one would be forced to find alternate solutions.

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