Windows Classic mode but where is Windows Standard colours ?

[DBenz]

Hi,
Win 7 64bit pro.

I have opted for Windows Classic to fix the poor display of text under the desktop icons. However the windows colour available is only Windows Classic. On previous Msoft OS's there was also Windows Standard for neutral greys. How does one get at Standard now ?

I have just calibrated my screen to get neutral greys and rid it of a yellowy colour cast and now I am faced with yellowy greys. I always have a neutral theme for colour perception and color work in Photoshop and other graphics progs as is the correct setup.

Maybe one can access the XP drive and pull in settings from there. Else is it a case of creating a grey for each and every option like scroll button, scroll bar, etc in the drop down list ? If so that is archaic and Msoft should be shot at dawn. Doing away with neutral options for colour calibrated screens. Coupled with the lousy text offerings by default someone there doesnt understand the basics of screen displays. I havent gone via vista so I see what has been despoiled comparing to XP and OS's before. If it works why meddle ?

DBenz

 

[gregrocker]

You are using Windows 7 and not XP now. It has an elegant graphical interface known as Aero with transparency and tasteful color scheme. In tens of thousands of installs I've helped with here for those of all abilities, no one has wanted to get rid of Win7's essential beauty by invoking ugly grey government-file-cabinet Win2000 classic theme.

Please at least give Aero a chance at Control Panel>Personalize. You can choose an Aero theme there and even a Backgrounds slideshow with spectacular high resolution scenic pictures.

It is not correct that Aero is a resource hog. It actually uses no more system resources turned on than off.

If you need sharper desktop icon text try a higher Screen Resolution.

Let us know how this goes. We are here to help.

 

[DBenz]

Hi,
Thanks for the offer of help.

Let me explain further though...

Tasteful colour schemes are not helpful for serious colour perception work. Those that do such are few and far between but colourful schemes hinder the ability to judge the colour seen. WWW articles on the correct setup are there for those wishing to read. I for one need neutral grey. I dont find it boring, I am interested in the content of my PC not the frames around the content. My desktop is not seychelles but a grey image to keep an eye on screen greyscale bias.

I have always had my screen set to neutral greys. I am happy to encompass aero if it gives me neutral greys. In XP I immediately turned off telly tubby mode and went for classic as did others I know. I had aero as such initially on win7 and neutral grey theme BUT THE DESKTOP ICON TEXT WAS A MESS. text characters had thin black outlines which were causing turquoise and other colour fringes across the 1 pixel white lines and it was an out of focus multicolour mush.
Turning off ClearType solved this (I mentioned the text appearance to a software vendor who also immediately said turn off ClearType) however you have then a next next wizard and exiting through that saw the text in the rest of windows such as word and the internet go thin and whimsy and not as it should be.

I didnt like though the poor indication of which window was active, in classic mode its blue or grey, cant go wrong there. Live window identification is vital. Pshop is also a nightmare as the difference between active window, the one receiving your editing, and the one not, is too subtle to be safe.

So unable to resolve the mushy type in win7 aero I have had to resort to classic mode for the moment until we find a fix, classic mode where desktop type is sharp and of a uniform colour..white. , though it needs a drop shadow. However the type in programs is still not good, in one program I have black, green, red and purple text depending on its point size, yet it all should be black. Also a mess unlike what XP gave which was clear sharp black text. Its as if I am with win3.1 with this poor text. Once upon a time Adobe Type Manager existed and handled text and all was ok, then Msoft took over, all was ok with XP but I am not sure now if Msoft have overlooked this and messed up or if its the latest vid card and its latest driver or a bit of both ! I need to see other users PCs to be sure of what win7 can deliver. I have seen the results from a win8 machine and its even worse.

Screen res is 1920 x 1200, its the maximum on the slider and the correct one for the monitor I have.

In XP it was 1920 x 1200. before that it was 1024x768 on an eizo. I have always had top class superb text and the best of monitors.

As such whilst I am with classic until the text issue is resolved. I have 6500K lighting, not crappy tungsten or energy saver stuff. The vast majority of pc users dont do colour work as such, or are setup but not as should be, their choice, but I am going with neutral greys for my photoshop scheme. MS offered the windows standard as a choice. They have overlooked the fact that the correct colour working environment requires neutral greys. Focused purely on jazzing things up, and messing up things like windows explorer, as 34K hits on how to resolve the explorer issues testify. Add to the OS by all means, but don't take away what choices existed.

So how do I get hold of neutral greys for classic mode..called windows standard ? they were there in XP and previous.

DBenz