Damn Explorer Highlight Color

[Idgarad]

How do I change it from that sky blue (damn near white) color to a
dark blue!? Who ever though of that color for the highlight needs to
be flogged and demoted in pay.

Please, how do we change that color? Themes don't work, advanced color
options don't work. How cna I fix that crap?

60% of males are color blind and Cyan on White isn't the easiest color
to deal with.

 

[Synapse Syndrome]

60% of males are color blind and Cyan on White isn't the easiest color
to deal with.

Well that's bollocks!

ss.

 

[Idgarad]

Well that's bollocks!

ss.

Depending on how you are treating the term color blind it can be as
low as 5% of males or as high as 60% of males (the proper term for
some using the 60% is color deficent rather then color blind).

as far as medical color blindness:
Protanomaly 1%
Deuteranomaly 5% Most common form apparently
Protanopia 1%
Deuteranopia 1%

Even those stats are sketchy as several records indicate that only 2.8
million Americans are color blind which even if all are males doesn't
come close to 5% of males let alone 8%.

Several other source indicate that 10% of males are Red-Green
colorblind.

The best statistic I have is from a painters convention that simply
states: 60% of males have one form or another of a color deficeny.

Regardless, how do I fix the Vista highlight color?

 

[Mark]

I don't think there is a way without some kind of registry hack. It is so
light colored its almost impossible to see, no matter what color it is.

Mark

 

[Tiberius]

Hello.. you wont get any good reply from these vistaboys who are ignorant
about the very OS they support.

Let me explain now, that is part of the theme, and themes in vista use
visual styles
with filename extensions .mssstyle. The color you see is actually a bitmap
and cannot be changed!

You have 3 solutions:

1- Use classic (the boring gray theme) and then change that element (which
can be done and I can tell you how if you want)

2-try and buy windowblinds (see www.stardock.com) and install a free theme
from www.wincustomize.com

3-or use the patch (not supported by MS) and install another theme

here is info about this (that I have posted many times by the way)
Patch: http://vista-glazz.uptodown.com/en/

themes http://keznews.com/2877_5_Nice_NEW_Vista_Themes
and
http://www.guimods.com/index.php?tag=visual-styles-for-vista&paged=2

there are more and more themes on www.deviantart.com


Tell me if this helps

 

[Tiberius]

I MUST add that the vistaboys could NOT UNDERSTAND what I was
telling them about vista bad choice of colors...

What you say along with a multitude of other color problems exist in Vista.
There is also another problem with that highlight but I wont get into that
now.

I have been trying to educate-da-vistaboys but they learn slow.. perhaps now
that they hear things from users like you they will start seeing why "vista"
is a bad view.


all puns intentional.

 

[Michael Solomon]

How do I change it from that sky blue (damn near white) color to a
dark blue!? Who ever though of that color for the highlight needs to
be flogged and demoted in pay.

Please, how do we change that color? Themes don't work, advanced color
options don't work. How cna I fix that crap?

60% of males are color blind and Cyan on White isn't the easiest color
to deal with.

I don't care for it either and when you drag and drop, it's a real pain
trying to make sure the selection is where you want it because the dragged
file get's in the way too. In fact, I do very little drag and drop anymore.
Instead, I just use copy and paste because it is easier to make sure the
selection is where I want it.

Nonetheless, the selection is a bad color. You can improve it just a bit by
turning off Transparency. Transparency washes the color out further because
you can then see the white background through the transparent color.

You can turn off Transparency as follows:
Right click a blanks space on the Desktop, select Personalize and click
"Windows Color and Appearance."

 

[Adam Albright]

How do I change it from that sky blue (damn near white) color to a
dark blue!? Who ever though of that color for the highlight needs to
be flogged and demoted in pay.

Please, how do we change that color? Themes don't work, advanced color
options don't work. How cna I fix that crap?

60% of males are color blind and Cyan on White isn't the easiest color
to deal with.

Try this:

Right click on Desktop, then Personalize, then window color and
appearance. Next click on "Open Classic Windows properties". You may
like the Windows Standard which gives you a Navy Blue background on
the highlighted item with white text. There are several other choices
that have more contrast also. If you don't like it you can always
switch back easily.

I agree the Aero default choices are both wimpy and hard on older
eyes.

 

[Tiberius]

No I must include the sophomoric part... lol because I have explained again
and again that the vista theme color selection is extremely bad... as well
as other GUI elements ..
This is not new.. but the vistaboys or vista extreme blind followers,
insisted that I was wrong.

Its very irritating to have to deal with this guys that cant understand
elementary things and even after my explanations all they can do is call out
troll troll! So, they either are incapable (I don't really think its that)
or they simply refuse to listen (this is what I believe the case is).

If you want to see what I have said in the past (and if you are brave) you
can read the following text
reposted here (2 posts)
---------------
Post 1

Yet vista needed something to seem "different" so much that they went ahead
and played with some very fundamental things,
that should have not been done.

Let me explain here what they are:

1) Colors. The color black is the worse color anyone could select for an
interface. In fact this is why Windows used to be Gray,
and the same reason all PC boxes used to be gray-beige. Although not a
pretty color, they had seen that it was the best color to blend with the
environment
that is around the screen. Also reflections from windows onto the screen on
black parts of the gui are a problem, often making people want to
decrease the lighting in the room to compensate... but that is very
harmful... and anyway you cant do it in a work environment.

2)Fonts. Vista has the worse fonts I have ever seen in a OS. Even without
cleartype they seem blurry. They are not consistent....
they have made such a mess of the fonts in vista I wont get into it.... who
made these bad decisions?

3) The very design of the UI is HORRID HORRID HORRID. The start menu is a
mess the way the programs unfold upon themselves.
This is such a fundamental mistake guys.... And then your only other
solution is to use classic that is not as good as the XP start menu.
Thank god that exists at least.
They hid very important menus. Look at explorer and internet explorer,
windows media player. What crap is this? Hiding menus? This is outrageous.
Also they have made the Toolbars non customizable. This is very annoying...
and thousands of people complained about this with IE7... yet MS
went ahead and did it.... BIG MISTAKE.

Also they did not give us one of the things they PROMISED us with Longhorn!
the ability to have resolution independent windows and screen elements
*icons menus windows and other things*. Yet the poor ignorant vistafans in
here have no clue what Im frikin talking about!

There are many other problems... but vista bores me....



SOLUTIONS:

What can you do?
1) Use classic and disable as much crap as possible, enable menus and other
helpful stuff. Use an alternative browser and file manager.
2) Buy start windowblinds (around $20) and select one of the hundreds of
themes that are more simple and clear.
3) Download the following patch to enable the themeing engine of vista to
load unsigned themes (non Microsoft)

http://www.codegazer.com/vistaglazz.htm


where you can find new themes made for vista:

http://www.guimods.com/index.php?tag=visual-styles-for-vista&paged=2

scroll down http://keznews.com/2664_Themes_for_Windows_Vista

and here (there are many but you have to look through them to find the ones
made specifically for vista)
http://browse.deviantart.com/customization/skins/windows/visualstyle/?order=9&alltime=yes


---------------
Post 2

Ok here is a more detail explaination, that I actually took the time to
write... so you can understand some of the thoughts behind "vista is stupid
(tm)"

I believe an OS must be intelligently designed based on scientific study of
human - computer interaction, plus with the additional features that the
creative, non verbal, visual mind would create.

Vista is seems was built by monkeys. With one look of 5 minutes, a keen
observer who is proficient in design, and computers will tell you that:

-Vista was not created after any study of human-computer interaction
-the decisions made in the interface is a jumble different concepts smashed
together in an ugly way.
-Microsoft simply ignored what people really wanted from the next version of
windows, did almost nothing of all that, rather they did what they liked
without the proper preparation and ergonomic testing done.
-Vista took XP, and added too much nonsense stuff that run in the
background, or loading memory too much, making the user experience very
slow.
-There are not really many improvements done under the hood to justify the
hype of vista.


I believe that MS should have done this: Have a room with 100 people of
various computer skill ability, to do various tasks on various interfaces,
and have a group of at least 6 people who are really qualified to interpret
the reactions of the people who are using the interfaces and determine what
works and what doesn't.
This would include testing of the vital biological feedback given from the
user, using lie detector technology, that will show, stress, and
frustration, the speed of the the motion of the hand, and where the eye
focuses and spends more time on. I am VERY SERIOUS about this.. this is not
a joke!

They do this when making the design of the controls for fighter jets.. the
same thing is needed..

Study should be done on nature, and transfer a natural element into the
computing environment. This has been done in many areas of art and
technology.

All this can be done, and have been done for other things.. but Microsoft
doesn't really care about doing this..
Vista seems like me, that it was given to a bunch of amateur computer code
writers to develop it, some graphical artists that have no clue about
how the human brain works.....

Yet Microsoft has the resources to do all this research needed.... You would
be amazed on how small things would give a big improvement.
But there must be care for the user... a feeling of the need to serve the
customers in the best possible way, and going beyond all limitations
to reach that goal. Much more thought went into DRM and activation
technologies than serving the people.. the users.. the customers.

Vista lacks all this.. vista is the worse version of windows ever (giving
the time frame it was made in) because it is actually worse than XP, in
human computer interaction, speed, reliability, visual clutter...
everything. For those who complain about the fisher price theme, that's only
a theme.. there are thousands of nice themes you could use.. that would
change the colors, but retain the structure.

My opinion is that they should do what I propose at least in the next
version of windows. You don't always have to do super duper innovations...
just make things work better, have everything work in a flow... You cant
change too many things in the interface because you have a userbase
that needs to still be able to use the interface.

Vista is so stupid, that I am surprised how many people don't see this. My
only explanation is that this is due to ignorance. IGNORANCE.

But it is not the job of the user to think about all this. This is the job
of the people making the product.

Vista needs a genius or a group of geniuses behind it. I am not talking
about mere smart people. MS has a lot of those...
I am talking about a brilliant genius that understands all what I said, and
will create a process by utilizing people and technology
to produce extremely high quality products.

I have studied over the years how geniuses create foundations that create
phenomenal results. Bill gates did that too ... but times have changed now
and people need another level of quality that has never before been done.

 

[Frank]

No I must include the sophomoric part... lol because I have explained again
and again that the vista theme color selection is extremely bad... as well
as other GUI elements ..
This is not new.. but the vistaboys or vista extreme blind followers,
insisted that I was wrong.

Wrong again bozo. Most simply don't agree with you or else don't care.
It's only your personal opinion.

Its very irritating to have to deal with this guys that cant understand
elementary things

Oh...you mean like colors generally are a personal opinion. Is that what
you mean?


So, they either are incapable


Certainly someone like you, with you self-proclaimed elevated
intellectual capacity, are capable of understanding that the colors of
Vista are matter of personal opinion. If you don't like them...well...ok!
That is within the realm of your elevated understanding, correct?
Frank

 

[Tiberius]

Ok... if colors are a personal opinion, what would you tell someone who
likes to have a pitch black theme, with black fonts, with a wallpaper of an
underground coalmine that with no lights, with the black cursor theme, and
has turned off all the icons on the desktop.

You would say he made a slightly bad choice of colors wouldn't you?

WELL IM SAYIN THE SAME THING!

Its NOT a matter of choice alone.. there are some universal laws that have
to do with visibility and eyesight!

Now if you have bee eyes that is a cluster of thousands of small eyes that
cannot move or blink, or you have some way to see ultraviolet light.. then I
guys your not human.. but vista was built for humans.. (theoretically)

 

[Frank]

Ok... if colors are a personal opinion, what would you tell someone who
likes to have a pitch black theme, with black fonts, with a wallpaper of an
underground coalmine that with no lights, with the black cursor theme, and
has turned off all the icons on the desktop.

You would say he made a slightly bad choice of colors wouldn't you?

That's still only an OPINION! But it's now evident you'll never
understand what a personal opinion is.

WELL IM SAYIN THE SAME THING!

Its NOT a matter of choice alone.. there are some universal laws that have
to do with visibility and eyesight!

You have no idea what "true black, real black or black color", in RGB or
CMYK is, do you?
Take a color dropper from PP and get a sample from Vista, ok? Then post
the numbers and exactly where in Vista you got it from, ok?

Now if you have bee eyes that is a cluster of thousands of small eyes that
cannot move or blink, or you have some way to see ultraviolet light.. then I
guys your not human.. but vista was built for humans.. (theoretically)

So far I've counted less than a handful of posters complaining about
Vista colors.
What has happened to all the other millions of users?
Frank

 

[Adam Albright]

That's still only an OPINION! But it's now evident you'll never
understand what a personal opinion is.



You have no idea what "true black, real black or black color", in RGB or
CMYK is, do you?
Take a color dropper from PP and get a sample from Vista, ok? Then post
the numbers and exactly where in Vista you got it from, ok?


So far I've counted less than a handful of posters complaining about
Vista colors.
What has happened to all the other millions of users?
Frank

Keep in mind Frank can't count past 10 unless he first removes his
socks and shoes, then on a good day Frank can count to twenty.

 

[Tiberius]

You have no idea what "true black, real black or black color", in RGB or

CMYK is, do you?
Take a color dropper from PP and get a sample from Vista, ok? Then post
the numbers and exactly where in Vista you got it from, ok?

The exact color in RGB of the vista taskbar does not matter. It is very dark
and that permits reflections from the surrounding environment to reflect on
the image on the monitor itself.

I know everything you asked... of course!

If you have a graphic artist there... ask him if there are colors that go
better together and colors that don't go so well together.. then ask him if
this is only due to taste,
or are some colors and combination of colors better suited for the clarity
of text.

If he knows anything about graphics he will explain to you what I just said.

You don't even have to ask.. if you Google you will find plenty information.

 

[Frank]

Keep in mind Frank can't count past 10 unless he first removes his
socks and shoes, then on a good day Frank can count to twenty.

You're getting weaker by the minute.
Frank

 

[Frank]

The exact color in RGB of the vista taskbar does not matter. It is very dark
and that permits reflections from the surrounding environment to reflect on
the image on the monitor itself.

I know everything you asked... of course!

If you have a graphic artist there... ask him if there are colors that go
better together and colors that don't go so well together.. then ask him if
this is only due to taste,
or are some colors and combination of colors better suited for the clarity
of text.

If he knows anything about graphics he will explain to you what I just said.

You don't even have to ask.. if you Google you will find plenty information.

You have no idea what you're talking about.
Game over on color over pal.
You lose!
Malakas.
Frank

 

[Tiberius]

oh since you are so smart can you explain what is RGB and what is CMYK,
without looking it up on the internet

and no just saying they are color models is not enough

Lets see if you know at least some elementary things.

 

[Frank]

oh since you are so smart can you explain what is RGB and what is CMYK,
without looking it up on the internet

Oh please, don't embarrass yourself anymore about colors than you
already have, ok!
Look up the black numbers as it pertains to RGB then look up the black
numbers as it pertains to CMYK then fine those numbers on the Vista GUI
and report back to me...but only if you find them.
Frank

 

[Adam Albright]

Oh please, don't embarrass yourself anymore about colors than you
already have, ok!
Look up the black numbers as it pertains to RGB then look up the black
numbers as it pertains to CMYK then fine those numbers on the Vista GUI
and report back to me...but only if you find them.
Frank

Leave it to the resident village idiot Frank to mix apples and
oranges.

 

[Frank]

Leave it to the resident village idiot Frank to mix apples and
oranges.

hahaha...part of my question should be considered as a "trick question".
Which part is it?
Do you know?
Well...?
(snort)
Frank