Category: Zone BBS Suggestions and Feedback
primarily meant to be for the benefit of the sighted users of this place, and before anyone gets their pants in a bunch over my suggestion being for sighted users and the possibility of my wanting graphics or other sighted friendly things, worry not... my suggestion is only cosmetic in nature and is in no way meant to bring any change to the Zone... heck, if this suggestion is accepted and implemented, it would not be noticed by anyone other than those who have full sight or any sort of colour perception.
As a sighted Zoner, I like this place exactly as it is laid out... it's easy to navigate and for the most part, easy on my eyes - please don't change the format... the Zone wouldn't be the Zone if it were to change.
However... yes, there is always a however... I have one suggestion for the layout of the list of users who are online... I find that since the inclusion of the publics / messages off suffix behind the names of Zoners who have gone publics off, the list has become very busy in visual appearance, and given that the list is in monochrome, it is often somewhat difficult to read who is logged in, especially when there are lots of people logged in at one time.
Is there some way to change the colour of the font to differentiate between Zoners who are accepting public quick notes and those who are not? i.e. for those who are publics off, change the font colour of their name either a lighter blue or a different colour altogether but change it back to the current blue when they start accepting publics again.
That way, it would be easier for kids like me who are here and do not have the benefit of JAWS or other screen reader, to be able to find people & friends who are online in amongst those who have elected to go publics off. I've been accused by a couple of people of not greeting them when I first log in... I would have said something to them if I could have seen their user name sandwiched in between a pile of people who have gone publics off. Having their names stand out with the aforementioned change of font colour suggestion would be an easy way to make this happen without wrecking the overall aesthetic of this place.
Thank you for hearing me and my suggestion out, and I hope that it can somehow be implemented.
Kate, that wouldn't just be useful for sighted users, but also for anyone who has partial vision. I'm not sure how you'd implement it, but I could see low vision users finding it very helpful too.
Not a bad thought, Kate. Wouldn't do us totals much good at all, but that's okay. Doesn't seem as though it would be very hard to implement it.
That's the great thing about it, Hell... it's a change to the Zone that really isn't a change, as it would only affect a very small segment of the community... the format and content would stay exactly the same for those totals who don't want to see any change (and I know that they are out there.. I've already felt their wrath), but this one cosmetic tweaking of the system would make it easier for sighteds like me to process the information that we are presented with.
Hope they can do this for you. Then you'll be able to greet me the instant I come on here. LOL Sounds like a good idea.
Although it wouldn't affect me, I have nothing against this suggestion, and I hope they can implament it. After all, you're not asking for much, and at least someone's willing to come forward with a friendly suggestion instead of a complaint.
Kate, for you to even have to write that sentence that you've felt the wrath of various totally blind people on this site, is an extremely sad commentary on the Zone. Our sighted members are just as much a part of the community as anyone else, and your, or any other sighted member's suggestions should be given the same amount of consideration. I'm sorry to hear that's not always been the case.
I agree with Alicia on this. As someone who's totally blind, I'd say we have greater responsibility than the general population to precisely *not* act in that way: unlike most people, we deal with it on an ongoing basis. That ought to provide sufficient motivation to not repeat the cycle.
But, like other minorities, I've found from coming on here there's a segment who, appallingly, seem anti-sighted, if that is possible. Reminds me of the feminist man-bashers of the 1980s, or some African-Americans who are overtly racist against white.
Perhaps I'm wrong, but I imagine these fringe people amongst the blind are probably a very small minority, just like extremists in the afore-mentioned groups.
I can't comment on the ease or difficulty of the situation since I have not seen the source to this site, but it is a worthwhile suggestion.
i like the idea, but maybe 2 opposite colors like blue and red.
i feel sad that we all get a bad name for a small amount of people who are against sighted people. i for one would give an awful lot to not be registered blind and to be able to see, so i don't understand how others can give people greef for wanting little tweeks to help quickly differentiate between users. i also don't know how a few blind people can hate on sighted people for something that is out of all our control - if we can see or not.
I like that suggestion even though I don't come on here as much as I use to. There will always be those who hate on someone or are maybe jealous that those people can see more. I know people who are jealous of things that visually impaired individuals can get. It works both ways just like anything.
hi kate, i really hope they manage to implament this suggestion for you and others who may find it useful. its a great idea!