paper/backgroud color... Light sensitive eyes

[DDS2209]

I have very light sensitive eyes and when viewing my word documents, or any
other on screen documents, i HATE looking at a bright white screen (the
simulated paper or background). I typically have to change the background to
a light blue or something easier on the eyes everytime i open a new document.

Can I make my colored background/paper my default for all word documents?

 

[Harvey]

Yes, make those changes in your "Normal.dot" file and they would be the
default for all of yoru word documents. Also word has a builtin feature that
changes the background color to blue . you can go to Tools\Options\General
and check "Blue background, white text"

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Instead of adding a background in Word, why not change your window color in
Windows? On the Appearance tab of the Control Panel | Display dialog, you
can choose a new window color, which will become the "paper" color in Word.
I use RGB 255/255/225, which is a restful ivory.

 

[Flash2007]

Suzanne,

You sound knowledgeable, a rare bird these days. Can you PLEASE tell me
exactly how to change Word 2007 to the old white text on a nice deep blue
background (I'm running Vista, if that means anything)? I don't want to
change to blue 'paper' for my other Office applications, such as Outlook. I
only want the white-on-blue for Word, just like it used to be in Word 2004.
I read another user (MS person?) who said that Microsoft intentionally
removed this option for 2007, which if true, is incredibly stupid since a lot
of us loved it! So, please help me to make my new, improved 2007 version of
Word work almost as well as my old 2004 version. PLEASE, and I thank you in
advance for your help!

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

There is no practical way to do what you want in Word 2007. Sorry. This
option was removed because it was used by only a minuscule fraction of
users.

 

[Flash2007]

I'm stunned to hear that! I personally know MANY users who use that option
all the time. Who did that survey that said it was used by a miniscule
fraction of users? They were absolutely wrong! The only reason that
Microsoft has not heard a bigger outcry on this thing yet is because most
users are sticking with Word 2004, and for good reason. If I could go
backwards, I would. But, unfortunately for me, I had to buy a new computer
which came only with Vista (ugh!) and then I couldn't get Outlook 2004 to
work right on it (although the 2004 versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
worked fine), so I had to go out and buy Office 2007. Now I wish I could
REPLACE my 2007 versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint with the 2004
versions. Is there a way of registering a serious complaint with anyone at
Microsoft about this? I'm extremely bummed, and I know I won't be the only
one out there, not by a long shot.

 

[Graham Mayor]

Microsoft have removed it from Word 2007. It vwas a flashback to the days of
DOS, poor quality display screens and no WYSIWYG user interface. Feedback
was that few people used it, so it has gone - time to move into the 21st
century!.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Flash2007]

Dear Graham,

With all due respect, since when is making things easier to see not
appropriate for the 21st century? If you, or anyone else out there, had
tried the BBWT option, you would never have switched back. THERE'S NO REASON
TO USE BLACK-TEXT-ON-WHITE-BACKGROUND UNLESS YOU LIKE TO MAKE THINGS HARD ON
YOUR EYES! I'm guessing that MOST Word users would have switched to it from
the get-go if they only knew it was there and knew how to turn it on. The
sad fact is that most Word users are incredibly uninformed about this and
most other software products that they use. I know for a fact that, when I
showed the option to other Word users, they ALL said, "wow, I didn't know
that was there! This is great!" So please don't help Microsoft hide under
their desks on this one. The irony of it may yet be that most users, when
they find out it "isn't available any more," will just grin and bear it since
they, like me, don't know the first thing about sending off a complaint to
anyone at Microsoft that can really DO something about this. If you can tell
me how to reach them, I will at least register my own complaint and request
for putting this option back (it CAN'T be a hard thing to do, if your a
programmer!). Let's not make the 21st century WORSE than the 20th.

 

[CyberTaz]

<snip>

If you can tell
me how to reach them, I will at least register my own complaint

<snip>

Office button> Word Options> Resources> Contact Us

Comments & suggestions submitted in that way are reviewed & if there is
sufficient common feedback on a given issue it will most likely be
addressed... Just don't expect a personal reply or that your "demand" will
produce a download patch the next day

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Graham Mayor]

Just don't expect a personal reply or that your "demand"
will produce a download patch the next day

..... or at all

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Much of the usage data came from the CEIP (Customer Experience Improvement
Program). If you chose not to participate in this program, then you lost
your vote.

 

[JoAnn Paules]

I was thinking that same thing.

--
JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

~~~~~
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375

 

[Graham Mayor]

You don't expect your books and newspapers to have white text on blue paper,
so why your monitor? If you have a half decent monitor, properly adjusted,
it is no harder on the eyes than black text on white paper.

I also have canvassed opinion and have not found anyone who either uses it
or finds it useful. Most people want to know how their documents will look
when finished. I fear you are going to be in a much smaller minority than
you imagine.

Microsoft is unlikely to be watching this forum, and I don't work for them
or have any idea how easy it would be to re-introduce the feature.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Flash2007]

Dear Graham,

The difference between reading text on paper and reading text on a monitor
is huge! The first works on REFLECTED light, the second on INCIDENT light.
The first is therefore much easier to read, not nearly so glary (unless the
paper is glossy, and then, as you may have noticed from old printed
photographs, even the reflected page becomes difficult to read).

Not sure why your survey disagrees so markedly from mine. I'm in
California, but I've even described this option (how to find it and turn it
on) to out-of-state friends, and the response is quite positive. TELL ME
THAT IT'S NOT EASIER ON YOUR EYES! If you try it, it's undeniable.

As far as most people wanting to see what it's going to look like when it's
finished, it hardly takes a rocket scientist to figure that one out; but just
in case you can't, that's what PRINT PREVIEW is for.

Yes, I agree that Microsoft is unlikely to be watching this forum, and
that's the problem ... they seem to be quite out of touch with the user
community because they make it virtually IMPOSSIBLE for us to reach up in
their ivory towers. Now that I'm using the other 2007 Office programs, I can
assure you of that! Word and PowerPoint are much HARDER to use than their
predecessors, IMHO. I'm sure that THEY think they've improved things, but,
now that I'm forced to use them, I would disagree. The menus, for example in
PowerPoint, are all over the place. But that's another story for another
day. Now, I'm simply asking for them to give me back my WTBB. I will follow
the suggestion by CyberTaz (THANK YOU!) and send in my request, even though
it sounds like it is headed to the infamous bit bucket.

 

[Graham Mayor]

While Bob has given you instructions on how to make suggestions to
Microsoft, a lot of people will need to make the same suggestion before it
is put back.

If you have a decent monitor, properly setup, there is no glare at all. I
can assure you that there is no glare on my Viewsonic VX912 and reading text
on screen is very similar to reading it from paper. The white on blue does
not help at all. However back in the days of WordStar and WordPerfect for
DOS, the monitors of the time were poor and the white on blue did help - now
it just gets in the way of working. Sorry, but we are not going to agree on
this.

--
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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[CyberTaz]

You're certainly welcome - but in the meantime I might further suggest that
you check into the possibility of adjusting the settings for your display in
order to provide more visual comfort. I've personally found that to be far
more effective than the archaic "blue screen" which still didn't resolve the
issue of glare. Glare can better be handled by improving lighting conditions
and the use of glare filters (fairly cheap, anymore) applied to the display
screens that aren't equipped with them already.

I understand your frustration, but I don't think we'll see a restoration of
that feature... But you never know!

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Brice]

I just found this site and feel strongly enough about the issue to register
my own complant. I used blue background/white text exclusively for many
years because it is much easier on my 67 year old eyes --- scientific
explanations aside. I will contact Microsoft and register my opinion with
them. I really don't see why this would be anything more than a simple
modification to give us back what they unnecessarily took from us.

 

[gaelic_vixen]

Ask not for whom the bell tolls, for it just might toll for my use of Word. >_<

I've used the white text-blue background option for nearly all of the 16
years I've used Word, and it has NOTHING to do with glare. My eyes are very,
very light sensitive and the only set-up that doesn't leave searing
impressions of whatever I've just typed/read on my corneas is white on blue.
And I'm talking about on a top-of-the-line PowerBook, people.

As for that option being deleted because so few users employed it, I have to
say that seems a rather idiotic reason. So a small percentage of the overall
Word population used the feature. So what? The most recent survey I read
stated that something like 11% of all computer users actually use Word
Perfect...Yet the application is still being made!!

But whatever. Corporations rarely care what the little people think, so I'm
sure my complaint was a waste of time. But at least I feel a little better. ;p

 

[rcurrens]

Add my name to the list of disgruntled Word users! I've been using white text
on blue screen since 1991 and I am astounded Microsoft has taken it away. I
was a magazine editor when I first began using it and it made my editing job
SO much easier by reducing eyestrain.

Those who have suggested that adjusting the monitor settings have either
never used the white on blue feature or are being disingenuous.

I still have an older version of Word at home -- thankfully -- but my new
employer has Vista and Office 2007. I spent half a day trying to figure out
where the option went. I use it so much at home that I installed a macro to
toggle between blue screen and white screen and attached it to a button on my
toolbar.

White on blue not only is easier on the eyes, it also reduces mistakes --
why do you think buildings are built from BLUEprints?

Discovering this feature has been deleted is a major bummer. I guess I'll
postpone upgrading to Vista at home ...

 

[frustratedMSuser]

Bully for you, Graham. But some people have light sensitivity issues. The
issue isn't only about environmental light reflecting off the monitor. It's
about staring at the bright light for 8-plus hours a day. Furthermore, it
takes less electricity to power a darker screen.

The only work-around I've found for this in Word 2007 is to go under Page
Layout and select Page Background, and then click on Page Color and select a
background "theme" color that you find comfortable. Ones in the darker hues
will flip the text automatically to white. It doesn't change the color of the
actual document, just what's on screen.