Yahoo Forum Archive

Ainaechoiriel,
I wanted to make a suggestion to you about the Awards website and if
this has already been discussed and final decision made please just
ignore me. I find the black background and orange lettering on the
opening page very hard to read. I know young eyes probably have no
difficulty, but we who are over 40 with our eyesight going rapidly to
heck have a bit of a problem sorting out the words even with our coke
bottle bottom glasses.

The reason I mention this, is not only for me, but it can be
detrimental to aquiring new members. If you can't read something
comfortably, then you may not bother trying to find out what the site
is about.

Btw, I'd be happy to contact authors and count, I left my vote on
your polls.

Stella

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stella [mailto:lasselanta02@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 2:52 PM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MEFAwards] Just a Suggestion
>
> Ainaechoiriel,
> I wanted to make a suggestion to you about the Awards website
> and if this has already been discussed and final decision
> made please just ignore me. I find the black background and
> orange lettering on the opening page very hard to read. I
> know young eyes probably have no difficulty, but we who are
> over 40 with our eyesight going rapidly to heck have a bit of
> a problem sorting out the words even with our coke bottle
> bottom glasses.

Well, it's actually a dark green background with brownish lettering... ;-)
But really, don't feel bad about mentioning it. I just did some quick copy
and convert from my own fairly bare LOTR fanfiction website. I'd happily
take suggestions on colors or background images or anything like that.
Suggest away! Rmember that I only built this whole awards thing up from an
idea less than a week ago. ;-)

> The reason I mention this, is not only for me, but it can be
> detrimental to aquiring new members. If you can't read
> something comfortably, then you may not bother trying to find
> out what the site is about.

Understood. Just please not black and white. But I would love to dress the
site up more.

Check out this page: http://www.maran.com/colorchart/ and pick some colors.
There are three text colors necessary (though we could add a fourth for
Headers): Plain text, link, and visited link.

There is also background color or background image. I do have a program that
can take a photo and "emboss" it so it looks like etched metal. Check out
this site for an example of the embossed background:
http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/travel/index.html

As I said, I'm very open to ideas, but let's try and get these things ironed
out before Nomination Season begins, which is next week!

> Btw, I'd be happy to contact authors and count, I left my
> vote on your polls.

I saw that. Thank you! I've given you the illustrious title of Assistant
Administrator. Kate and Soledad have also offered to help but we need to
finalize their duties.

--Ainaechoiriel

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/lotr Land of Myth and Memory
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com

> Well, it's actually a dark green background with brownish

lettering... ;-)

Oh my word! Well doesn't that just tell you the state of my eyesight
*g*

Rmember that I only built this whole awards thing up from an

> idea less than a week ago. ;-)

And you've done a find job for such a short time.

> Just please not black and white.

Agreed, just too boring. I've always liked the colors used
at 'Stories of Arda', the background in particular is very easy on
the eyes, something in that color range would be good. I looked at
the colorchart page, but considering I see dark green as black maybe
someone else should choose. :-)

I do have a program that

> can take a photo and "emboss" it so it looks like etched metal.

Check out

> this site for an example of the embossed background:
> http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/travel/index.html

I've seen that site before, very interesting, however the lettering
over the image gets a little busy and you run into the same problem
of it being hard to decyhper. Maybe something like that could be
done with the headers, if the lettering is larger and bolder.

> Thank you! I've given you the illustrious title of Assistant
> Administrator.

(Blushes) Wow, I've never been Assistant Administrator, I vow to try
to live up to the title. (Ahh, what are my duties? oh mighty list mom)

Stella

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stella [mailto:lasselanta02@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 3:35 PM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MEFAwards] Re: Just a Suggestion
>
> > Well, it's actually a dark green background with brownish
> lettering... ;-)
>
> Oh my word! Well doesn't that just tell you the state of my eyesight
> *g*

Not to worry. It looks darker on one of my monitors than it does on the
other. Almost black, even. So it may be your monitor and not your eyes.

> And you've done a find job for such a short time.

Thanks. I know some Awards had committees debating for weeks before
actually getting started. I'm far to impatient for that. ;-)

> Agreed, just too boring. I've always liked the colors used
> at 'Stories of Arda', the background in particular is very easy on
> the eyes, something in that color range would be good. I looked at
> the colorchart page, but considering I see dark green as black maybe
> someone else should choose. :-)

They have a gray background with some nice leaf designs. That, I'm afraid
would take someone with more graphic talent than I have. Anyone? Bueller?

> I've seen that site before, very interesting, however the lettering
> over the image gets a little busy and you run into the same problem
> of it being hard to decyhper. Maybe something like that could be
> done with the headers, if the lettering is larger and bolder.

Admitted. That is one of my earliest sites!

> (Blushes) Wow, I've never been Assistant Administrator, I vow to try
> to live up to the title. (Ahh, what are my duties? oh mighty list mom)

Just what you volunteered for: contacting authors for approval and counting
votes. ;-)

I've also played aroudn with the Q and A page. It now has the parchment
background and dark green text. Just experimenting. I'm still very open to
suggestions.

--Ainaechoiriel

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/lotr Land of Myth and Memory
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com

Most of the pages at http://mefawards.agreatserver.com have the parchment
background now. I've been experimenting though. I found a site with some
free backgrounds. I haven't played around with Text Color too much yet.
Just backgrounds. Take a look at the following pages at the site (URL
above) and let me know what you think:

Links (greenish side border)

Staff (leaves)

Q and A (leaf side border)

--Ainaechoiriel

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/lotr Land of Myth and Memory
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com

--- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com, "Ainaechoiriel" <mefaadmin@e...>
wrote:

>
> Most of the pages at http://mefawards.agreatserver.com have the

parchment

> background now. I've been experimenting though. I found a site

with some

> free backgrounds. I haven't played around with Text Color too much

yet.

> Just backgrounds. Take a look at the following pages at the site

(URL

> above) and let me know what you think:
>
> Links (greenish side border)
>
> Staff (leaves)
>
> Q and A (leaf side border)
>

Oh yeah, that looks great. Very easy to read and the green borders
look rather celtic, perfect.:-)
Stella

http://www.theoriginalseries.com/earendilbackground.htm

http://www.theoriginalseries.com/findrod1background.htm

http://www.theoriginalseries.com/findrod2background.htm

here are some Tolkienesque sample backgrounds ... apologies to
Finrod for misspelling his name. I think Finrod1 is too contrasting
and distracting. The others look better to me.

--- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com, "Stella" <lasselanta02@y...> wrote:
> --- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com, "Ainaechoiriel" <mefaadmin@e...>
> wrote:
> >
> > Most of the pages at http://mefawards.agreatserver.com have the
> parchment
> > background now. I've been experimenting though. I found a site
> with some
> > free backgrounds. I haven't played around with Text Color too
much
> yet.
> > Just backgrounds. Take a look at the following pages at the site
> (URL
> > above) and let me know what you think:
> >
> > Links (greenish side border)
> >
> > Staff (leaves)
> >
> > Q and A (leaf side border)
> >
>
>
> Oh yeah, that looks great. Very easy to read and the green borders
> look rather celtic, perfect.:-)
> Stella

Okay, I'll stick my hand up as being a 'rapidly visually declining old person'.
Don't let the Miss Clairol and Botox fool you, my ability to read in low light is
rapidly passing into mere memory. Neither can I operate a computer in a
darkened room. Further, I have actually found that there now are scripts too
small for me to read - for when I bring it closer to discern, it all goes blurry.

In other words...

I'm Lindorien and I am 45 years old.

That said, the parchment background is MUCH easier to read. I sorta don't
like backgrounds at all though, because my eye finds them distracting. I was
actually going to suggest black and white and then saw Ainae blanche. So
will also mention the SoA colors are very easy on the eyes.

Will also mention that vision decline was very rapid. One day I could see fine,
and then the next I was holding things away from my eyes. I was 42. It was a
depressing day.

Yes yes - am planning to see an opthamologist soon.

Yes yes - this has now gone off topic.

I am old. My mind wanders.

Lindorien

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stella [mailto:lasselanta02@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 7:21 PM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MEFAwards] Re: Experimenting with backgrounds
>
> > Links (greenish side border)
>
> Oh yeah, that looks great. Very easy to read and the green
> borders look rather celtic, perfect.:-) Stella

If you mean that one, it's personally my favorite, but I've got three ayes
for the parchment.

Let me make a poll out of this.

--Ainaechoiriel

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/lotr Land of Myth and Memory
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: sulriel [mailto:Sulriel@htcomp.net]
> Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 8:17 PM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MEFAwards] Re: Experimenting with backgrounds
>
>
> http://www.theoriginalseries.com/earendilbackground.htm
>
> http://www.theoriginalseries.com/findrod1background.htm
>
> http://www.theoriginalseries.com/findrod2background.htm
>
> here are some Tolkienesque sample backgrounds ... apologies to
> Finrod for misspelling his name. I think Finrod1 is too contrasting
> and distracting. The others look better to me.

Those are nice, but I have a feeling the designs have something to do with
Noldorin? I'm a bit anti-partial to the Noldorins. Don't let that worry
you about the awards contest. I'm not the only voter and I have been known
to like a Noldo now and then (Voronwe of Gondolin, for example. Turgon
didn't seem a bad sort either. But don't even get me started on those
Feanorians....)

I'm going to make a poll for the green border with gray background, the leaf
border and the white background, and the parchment. We'll let democracy
decide.

Remember with the side bordered backgrounds, I should be able the text over
so it's only on the light part. And the text color is still up for grabs.

--Ainaechoiriel

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/lotr Land of Myth and Memory
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: lindorien2000 [mailto:lindorien@cox.net]
> Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 8:41 PM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MEFAwards] Re: Just a Suggestion
>
> Okay, I'll stick my hand up as being a 'rapidly visually
> declining old person'.
> Don't let the Miss Clairol and Botox fool you, my ability to
> read in low light is rapidly passing into mere memory.
> Neither can I operate a computer in a darkened room. Further,
> I have actually found that there now are scripts too small
> for me to read - for when I bring it closer to discern, it
> all goes blurry.

Poor thing. I used to wear contacts until I got a new pair of glasses as a
backup. I have an astigmatism and the contacts just couldn't get things
perfectly clear (I'm nearsighted, BTW). The glasses though...whoa! 20/15!
It's incredible what I can see now. ;-)

>
> In other words...
>
> I'm Lindorien and I am 45 years old.

Well, I had my first gray hair recently. I'm a little miffed at you older
people now. No one told me gray hair goes coarse! I knew hair went gray.
But coarse?!!!

And of course all that is my Mortal Alter Ego speaking. We Elves don't have
these problems.

> That said, the parchment background is MUCH easier to read. I
> sorta don't like backgrounds at all though, because my eye
> finds them distracting. I was actually going to suggest black
> and white and then saw Ainae blanche. So will also mention
> the SoA colors are very easy on the eyes.

Ah, yes, I do blanche. I just hate a plain B&W site. Would you consider
the parchment or one of the others if they had black or another very dark
text?

> Will also mention that vision decline was very rapid. One day
> I could see fine, and then the next I was holding things away
> from my eyes. I was 42. It was a depressing day.

Oh dear.

> Yes yes - am planning to see an opthamologist soon.
>
> Yes yes - this has now gone off topic.

;-) It's not like we get so much traffic we can't handle a little bit of OT
once in awhile. That may change though once Nomination Season starts.

> I am old. My mind wanders.

My MAE is 32 and her mind has wandered for years! Moreso since the
MegaStress. Why just this evening she locked her keys in her car. Again. At
least it wasn't running this time.

--Ainaechoiriel

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/lotr Land of Myth and Memory
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com

>
> Those are nice, but I have a feeling the designs have something to

do with> Noldorin? I'm a bit anti-partial to the Noldorins. Don't
let that worry> you about the awards contest. I'm not the only voter
and I have been known> to like a Noldo now and then (Voronwe of
Gondolin, for example. Turgon> didn't seem a bad sort either. But
don't even get me started on those> Feanorians....)

>
>

actually, the first is the emblem of Earendil (grandson of Turgon,
father of Elrond/Elros .. not to mention the evening star) and the
second and third are Finrod, admittedly Noldorin, but the one that
discovered the Edain, and gave Barahir the Ring of Barahir. .. died
saving Beren in Sauron's werewolf pit.

But I really do like the parchment if you'll darken the font, I just
wanted to offer some alternatives.

--- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com, "sulriel" <Sulriel@h...> wrote:

> >

> actually, the first is the emblem of Earendil (grandson of Turgon,
> father of Elrond/Elros .. not to mention the evening star) and the
> second and third are Finrod, admittedly Noldorin, but the one that
> discovered the Edain, and gave Barahir the Ring of Barahir. .. died
> saving Beren in Sauron's werewolf pit.

Well, I did say Turgon was likable, and yes, I think Earendil is,
too. Finrod is one of the better of the Noldorin also. But I still
like the Sindarins better! ;-)

> But I really do like the parchment if you'll darken the font, I

just

> wanted to offer some alternatives.

Check out the test page at
http://mefawards.agreatserver.com/test.html". You'll see the three
backgrounds for the poll, all with black text. Parchment is the
first.

Personally, after seeing them again, I like the leaf border better
than the greenish. The gray is rather dark on the latter. Thus, I
voted for B.

--Ainaechoiriel

Well, the parchment is certainly brighter than the green and brown.
May make for a more cheerful reader.

On the order of possibly silly suggestions, Ainae, do you think it
might be a nice idea to put the website affiliated with this yahoo
group up in the description of the group? Those of us who are having
issues of "mailbox too full!" and who are deleting fast and furious
tend to delete the postings that have the website address in them...

On an off-topic note, if anyone *does* want an explanation of HASA
Oliphaunts, contact me off list or drop a line in one of the HASA
forums dedicated to Q&A or post a question on the HA list, or use the
contact form in HASA for "Challenge Manager". <pants, is out of
breath> Heck, I'll go post an attempt at explanation now, since people
seem to be slightly shy. I promise, I don't hand out nuzgûl as the
price of tech support!

Anyhow, looking good, everyone. This will be very helpful, I think, as
it will *force* me to take notes as I read, a habit I tend not to
cultivate outside of my studies.

TTFN,

Dwim

> -----Original Message-----
> From: dwimmer_laik [mailto:dwimmer_laik@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 9:29 AM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MEFAwards] Re: Just a Suggestion
>
> Well, the parchment is certainly brighter than the green and brown.
> May make for a more cheerful reader.

Sigh. Put your vote in on the poll. I may be the only one who likes the
leaf border.... If that's the case, I can a;ways use it for my own LOTR
site.

> On the order of possibly silly suggestions, Ainae, do you
> think it might be a nice idea to put the website affiliated
> with this yahoo group up in the description of the group?
> Those of us who are having issues of "mailbox too full!" and
> who are deleting fast and furious tend to delete the postings
> that have the website address in them...

I thought I did once. The "test" page, at any rate, isn't linked on the
site iself. You manually have to enter in "test.html" on the address bar.
Also, the site is in the URLs or LINKS section on the YahooGroup. I'll try
the description again.

> Anyhow, looking good, everyone. This will be very helpful, I
> think, as it will *force* me to take notes as I read, a habit
> I tend not to cultivate outside of my studies.

Thanks. Do, everyone, check out the Voting tips document in the Files
section, Admin folder. It should help coming Nomination and Reading
Seasons.

--Ainaechoiriel

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/lotr Land of Myth and Memory
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com

--- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com, "dwimmer_laik" <dwimmer_laik@y...>
wrote:

> On the order of possibly silly suggestions, Ainae, do you think it
> might be a nice idea to put the website affiliated with this yahoo
> group up in the description of the group? Those of us who are having
> issues of "mailbox too full!" and who are deleting fast and furious
> tend to delete the postings that have the website address in

them...

The link is now showing in the description! it was in the "related
links field" of the settings, but that didnt' show up. So now it's
in both places.

--Ainaechoiriel

--- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com, "Ainaechoiriel" <mefaadmin@e...>

>
> Ah, yes, I do blanche. I just hate a plain B&W site. Would you consider
> the parchment or one of the others if they had black or another very dark
> text?

Probably anything that makes the other 'visually challenged old person'
happy will make me happy.

BTW, Gray hair does go coarse, but not after it is colored. Try natural instincts
- its semi-permanent and is WONDERFUL for the hair.

I had my first gray hair in my twenties sometime. It mostly stayed that way until
I got past 35 and one day realized I either color or join the American
Association for Retired People. So I colored. For years I convinced myself that
I only had 'a little gray'.

All right - here's the shocker. A few months ago, I looked at my roots and
realized 'Hey! Its all gray under there! When did THAT happen?' seriously,
people think I am in my early thirties, but the few times I've, um, failed to run
the Natural Instincts through it fast enough...

Well - let us just say, it wasn't pretty. So use a good quality semi-permanent
color. Don't try and go lighter, just blend with your natural color. - No
coarseness.

And those are our beauty tips for the day, ladies.

Now then - further proof of my age and also in general complete stupidity
regarding pop culture...

What does MAE mean? And 32 is a spring chicken.

Shall try to stay on topic from now on in.

Thanks Ainae!

> My MAE is 32 and her mind has wandered for years! Moreso since the
> MegaStress. Why just this evening she locked her keys in her car. Again. At
> least it wasn't running this time.
>
> --Ainaechoiriel

> -----Original Message-----
> From: lindorien2000 [mailto:lindorien@cox.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 2:35 PM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MEFAwards] Re: Just a Suggestion
>

>
> Probably anything that makes the other 'visually challenged
> old person'
> happy will make me happy.

Check out the test page (http://mefawards.agreatserver.com/test.html) and
see how the three choices work for you. They all use black text, some bold
and some plain.

> BTW, Gray hair does go coarse, but not after it is colored.
> Try natural instincts
> - its semi-permanent and is WONDERFUL for the hair.

Oh,. Good. Thanks. Don't need it just yet. Only found that one so far, but
I'll keep it in mind.

>
> Well - let us just say, it wasn't pretty. So use a good
> quality semi-permanent color. Don't try and go lighter, just
> blend with your natural color. - No coarseness.

Well, I generally go for my natural blond now. In my family, blonde gets
darker withage. My brother's hair is near black by now. Mine leans into the
lighter shades of brown. So I keep it in the dark but not darkest shades of
blonde.

> And those are our beauty tips for the day, ladies.

Thank you.

> Now then - further proof of my age and also in general
> complete stupidity regarding pop culture...
>
> What does MAE mean? And 32 is a spring chicken.

Don't feel bad about not knowing that one. I think I made it up.
Ainaechoiriel is an Elf. MAE is her Mortal Alter Ego, which is often the one
talking about growing older, having the flu or bad eyesight. Or writing
about Star Trek.

--Ainaechoiriel

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://www.stormpages.com/gabrielle/lotr Land of Myth and Memory
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com