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> Black text has been fine since the first printing press Keep in mind that paper is not an emissive surface, like an LCD panel is. Black-on-white is fine for
by zamalek 8y ago
> Black text has been fine since the first printing press
Keep in mind that paper is not an emissive surface, like an LCD panel is. Black-on-white is fine for e.g. e-ink displays or calibrated brightness (~15-30% on most displays, which is not the default).
- altfredd 8y agoSmartphones tune down brightness in power saving mode (and so do e-ink books). Most websites are barely legible under those conditions, because web designers have been so heavily corrupted by backlight.
- tomjakubowski 8y agoFurther, book paper - particularly for non-technical books, where diagrams are rare and reading is done in long, uninterrupted stretches - is often intentionally off-white, to lower the contrast and make it easier on the eyes.
- mamon 8y agoOff-white paper is there for cost-saving reasons, used mostly for cheap romances and thrillers typically sold in airport bookstores. I don't think they even consider readers comfort when choosing it.
- copperx 8y agoTextbooks with glossy, bright white paper are a pain to read under a library light. But they make images look great.