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New Blog Look

I've updated the look of my blog! How do you like it?

This change came about as the result of a workshop I took this past weekend on "Blogging Tips and Tricks," offered through the Writer's Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The Writer's Center is a wonderful organization that not only offers excellent workshops on topics of concern to writers but also provides a place in the Washington, DC area where writers can meet. If you are a writer living in the DC area, I highly recommend that you check the Center out.

One thing I've learned from my not-quite 3 months of blogging experience is that you have to pace yourself when it comes to making changes to your blog. So, while I am still absorbing and slowly trying out the long list of "tips and tricks" I learned in this workshop, one tip was very easy to implement:
  • Never - never! - use white text on a black background
The reason is simple: white on black is really hard to read. And why would I want to make things hard on my readers? The answer is simple, too: I wouldn't.

So, here you are: a new clean lay-out with black text on a white background, including:
  • Text set off with bullet points
  • Lots of white space (notice how many paragraph breaks I'm using?)
I hope you like the new look!

Later this week: more on complex systems science and how we can apply insights from this fascinating field to our lives.

Comments

  1. Oh, but the old look was so much more stylish, even though it was hard on my old eyes. What we won't put up with for vanity. One of the other blogs mine links to is white on black, and I continue to read it - perhaps perversely attracted by the difficulty.

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  2. never say never! white on black is actually easier on my eyes when it comes to computer screens.. there's probably some research or something backing up the other point of view, but black on white is very bright to me and it's kind of tiring to look at after a while. i guess it's a personal thing.

    paragraph breaks are always good though!

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  3. So much for the experts! What do the rest of you think? White on black or black on white? It takes about two clicks to switch it so don't worry about the work involved...more votes please!

    And Nate is right: a good scientist never says never. :)

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  4. Heck, my blog is white text on a brown background! I've sometimes worried that, compared to all the black-on-white blogs, visiting mine might seem like stepping into a dark room, which is not the effect I want. But now that I see your transition, I fear your new look has lost some of its uniqueness. I liked the black because it matched the mystery and allure of fractals and physics, and set off the pretty rainbow colors in the fractal images! But don't count me as an expert ... Cheers, Anne

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  5. So far, votes are pointing toward going back to white text on black background. And, I have to admit, I WAS rather fond of it, too. Will mull this over a few more days...watch for possible backpedaling on the "new look" later this week.

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  6. As I was working today, I noticed that NASA's Web sites have white text on black. Just sayin' ...

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  7. I've come to the conclusion that the page background color should match the light levels in the area of the room behind your monitor. So, if you read in a fluorescently overbright office, you will probably prefer black on white color scheme. Since most web pages are black on white, as a confirmed cave dweller I've been forced to apply my own custom CSS to all pages:
    http://fennetic.net/irc/override.css

    It turns the background dark gray and the foreground light gray and sets the font size to a reasonable level. Of course this is easy enough to do in firefox without any CSS stuff..

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