Change the colors

[joshhyde]

The orange when in the inbox is a bit much for me.

[dave]

Hi Josh-
If you don't mind, can you tell me what make/model of monitor you are using? Colors can look drastically different on different monitors, which may be why the orange in your Xobni looks like a traffic cone and mine appears to have more of a pumpkin hue.

As we progress through releases, we will be continuing to hone a color scheme for the product which looks good on a wide variety of monitors.

[IShootBrides]

Hi Josh & Dave,
I'm a professional photographer by day so color management is one of those things that is a big part of my workflow.
My main workstation sports three monitors and for photographic editing and print calibration, I calibrate my monitors once a week using a Spyder hardware puck and software.
So it would be real safe to say my monitors are pretty much spot-on color-wise :)

I can say that the orange is most definitely a lot more towards the caution/traffic cone orange.
The color doesn't bother me personally at all. I like orange but on my color-managed 3 monitors here, it is a punchy traffic cone orange.

[colingrady]

@dave

Just a thought... You could map the color scheme based on the current system color palette/theme and/or the version of Outlook. Outlook 2007 definitely has a different feel than Outlook 2003. Having a more cohesive feel isn't necessarily a bad thing. I understand you're a new and exciting product, but you don't have to scream your presence. :)

[tomasq]

The orange, traffic cone or pumpkin, is certainly an attention getter. I have plenty of people ask me what it is, how they can get it, etc.

[bmoura]

The orange, traffic cone or pumpkin, is certainly an attention getter. I have plenty of people ask me what it is, how they can get it, etc.

Agreed. The orange, green & yellow colors work for me !

[IShootBrides]

Agreed. The orange, green & yellow colors work for me !
I certainly don't mind the colors at all. Keeps my eyes on Outlook & working :)
It is bright though :p

[Darwin]

I run Windows XP (and Outlook 2003) in Classic Theme mode (with the themes service disabled). I'd like more control over the colour scheme as well OR a range of theme choices so that I can select a better match for my GUI.

[Vince]

@dave

Just a thought... You could map the color scheme based on the current system color palette/theme and/or the version of Outlook. Outlook 2007 definitely has a different feel than Outlook 2003. Having a more cohesive feel isn't necessarily a bad thing. I understand you're a new and exciting product, but you don't have to scream your presence. :)

Seconded - I work in a pretty stiff corporate company and it doesn't look very professional to have something screaming orange and purple contrasted against the soft blue of outlook. As much as I love Xobni, it just doesn't look like it belongs in Outlook colored as it is.

[Digerati]

Seconded - I work in a pretty stiff corporate company and it doesn't look very professional to have something screaming orange and purple contrasted against the soft blue of outlook. As much as I love Xobni, it just doesn't look like it belongs in Outlook colored as it is.I agree - I don't mind there being a "default" theme that sticks out like a sore thumb (JMHO), but if something is designed with the intention to be fully integrated into an existing environment, I personally feel it should look like it was a part of the environment from Day 1. So by all means, keep your theme for those that like it, but give the rest of us the option to use the same theme currently used by Outlook - so we can fully integrate xobni seamlessly into our Outlook UI.

FTR, XPP SP3 (SP3 installed before xobnit), OL2003.

[Oleg_S]

I think the best solution is to use system colors (windows theme), at least for a default Xobni color scheme.

[deckdesign]

I agree with others here, the soft blue default color of Outlook should be an option.

The current color scheme screams 'look at me' incessantly.

Thanks,

deckdesign

[McErrick]

I must say I like the Xobni look a lot. In fact, I'd love to see a Xobni skin for Outlook

[chupageek]

Personally I think deviation from platform look and feel is the greatest UI sin, and with Xobni it is compounded as it is visually embedded within another application. It doesn't look like it is integrated with outlook, but rather that it nailed ontop of the application haphazardly.

I think it is a good idea to offer the ability to skin or theme Xobni, so that the folks who are into that sort of thing (the winamp inspired crowd) can customize to their hearts content. For the rest of us, it would be great if it conformed to the look and feel of outlook. In Office 2007 that means determining which color scheme Office uses (Silver, Black, Blue) and using that (as an aside, it bugs the heck out of me that Office 2007 doesn't just inherit the windows theme). It has been a while since I used 2003, but I believe it uses the windows theme.

[dave]

During our user studies, we've found that the majority of our users like the Xobni colors, so it is unlikely that they will be changing dramatically anytime soon.

We don't think of Xobni as a plugin for Outlook exclusively, but as an addition on top of any email platform. Right now, that happens to be only Outlook, but this will change in the future. This is a subtle difference, but I hope it provides you with a basic explanation of why we don't always follow the Outlook L&F.

Thanks for the posting though, we routinely review the entire UI (yes, even the colors!) so your feedback is definitely talked about and taken into consideration.

[KnutK]

I think the best solution is to use system colors (windows theme), at least for a default Xobni color scheme."System colors" as an option would be nice!

[jonnny]

I LOVE Xobni, and I love that I work downtown in San Francisco and can walk by your office on the way to mine..it's kind of surreal.

But one thing I don't love is orange...especially when combined with purple (search bar) and a little bit of green ("In" bar), which are the main colors I'm starting to associate with Xobni...

Orange has it's place - for caution signs, certain foods, sunsets...but it's not a favorite when it comes to graphics...

Statistics would show it's not just me that feels that way. Try a search on "america's favorite colors" or go to the crayola website http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/a...ites/index.cfm as an example. Aside from your user studies, you'll find that while in most studies, blue ranks high, orange is consistently low, low, low.

I think Xobni has a very slick and solid appearance, which made me trust it right away. And you're right, the choice of orange probably does get attention. I work in a very competitive and extremely image based industry, and the company I work for does very well (we use a dark blue background and a simple white font for our graphics). I can't imagine if there was an orange company, that it could hope to do as well, no matter how great their staff was.

I feel like if I recommended Xobni to a colleague, I would have to say, "I know the colors look kind of strange, but it's a really great product." Unfortunately, that alone makes me keep it to myself.

So, ultimately you choose the colors, and I choose how to use the "Invite a Friend" page. I wish we were both more confident in making different choices. I hope other people are not thinking like me...but statistics (despite your user studies) would show that they probably are, even if they don't realize why.

[cyberbloke]

No doubt, its a great product.
There should be an option to change to lighter colors.

Thanks

[cyberbloke]

During our user studies, we've found that the majority of our users like the Xobni colors, so it is unlikely that they will be changing dramatically anytime soon.

We don't think of Xobni as a plugin for Outlook exclusively, but as an addition on top of any email platform. Right now, that happens to be only Outlook, but this will change in the future. This is a subtle difference, but I hope it provides you with a basic explanation of why we don't always follow the Outlook L&F.

Thanks for the posting though, we routinely review the entire UI (yes, even the colors!) so your feedback is definitely talked about and taken into consideration.

No doubt a great product, but definitely will be great to integrate the colors with outlook (system colors). Most people I sent the invite got back to me asking if there was configuration setting to change the colors. !!!

[dagwud]

During our user studies, we've found that the majority of our users like the Xobni colors, so it is unlikely that they will be changing dramatically anytime soon.

I'm not privy to the data from your user studies, so my cynical nature might be completely wrong. But given the "newness" of xobni, the researcher in me wonders if the sample for your user studies might not be representative. Early adopters and beta testers likely have different tastes than the potential-user-base-at-large. People might also change their opinion over extended time using the product.

I know that my first response upon installing the software today was "yuck. How do I change the colors?" Apparently I'm in the minority.

But, what if I'm not? ;)

(And, no, I'm not going to uninstall the product just because I think orange and purple is a hideous combination.)

[Marek]

Hello,

i find the color scheme of xobni quite annoying. I am working with two screens where the secondary screen is occupied by Outlook at almost all times. When working on the primary screen, I constantly recognize xobni from the corner of my eye which distinctly distracts my vision and tires me out.

I kind of recognize xobni similar to these highly annoying web-ads that prevent you to concentrate on longer texts, p.e. on particular News-Sites.

Please (!!) implement at least one grayscale- or low-saturated color scheme (if not a preference option for customizing the appearance). I don't know who the test persons of your study were, but I can not imagine anyone working 50 hrs a week with this orange LOOK-AT-ME!!!111eleven on his/her screen without getting seriously annoyed.

There might be different likings concerning colour among users. But the current color scheme is ergonomically outright unfeasible.

[Brando]

how about if the skin could match the color settings that are set up in outlook - its not like a million colors are needed. I'm running outlook 2007 and there are 15 color options for the calendar. this way it would keep a clean (integrated) look within outlook?

[Berry]

But one thing I don't love is orange...especially when combined with purple (search bar) and a little bit of green ("In" bar), which are the main colors I'm starting to associate with Xobni...

Orange has it's place - for caution signs, certain foods, sunsets...but it's not a favorite when it comes to graphics...

Statistics would show it's not just me that feels that way. Try a search on "america's favorite colors" or go to the crayola website http://www.crayola.com/colorcensus/a...ites/index.cfm as an example. Aside from your user studies, you'll find that while in most studies, blue ranks high, orange is consistently low, low, low.

Thank god not only Americans use Xobni. I am Dutch and living and working in The Netherlands in an international corporate environment (yes it is an American company) en we love Orange. It is our national color so please do not change the color scheme for Xobni.

Thanks for creating Xobni; it really helps me organizing my email traffic.

[RobsPages]

The color scheme is great - for a stand alone app. I have to echo previous posts and say I use dual monitors and the contrast with Outlook 2007's default blue is too great. Some themed options would be fantastic.

Great product otherwise and thanks

[Unregistered]

REALLY REALLY needs to be blue so it looks seamless and not screaming orange. Its so annoying and putting me off an otherwise great product

Also can the mail counters not animate? its shouty, look at me stuff whereas outlook is static which is much much better

if there's an option introduced to stop the animation and the shouty orange i will turn into a massive evangelist for this product and make all my friends and their friends use it. Not so if not.

thanks guys, very clever product

[Unregistered]

Great product, but I agree with many on this post... The colors need to change and integrate with Office color schemes.

[Unregistered]

why not include a expert menu where a skilled user can input RBG values he wants?
And for the bitmap-stuff, just introduce 4 sets to choose from (default, grey, black, white) and i guess 99% of all users are satisfied.


... but apart from the colors, what bothers me most is the in# and out# bar animation! that thing distracts me far more than the colors when I navigate around in Outlook. PLEASE make that "switch-off-able".

Thanks!

[ethoslight]

I too would like to change colors of Xobni or just have it mimic colors of Outlook 2007.

[wiedzmin]

I second the request to allow the colors of the application to be changed. Working in a rather strict corporate environment, I would really appreciate the ability to set colors to something more neutral and professional. I am getting tired of explaining to my co-workers and IT staff that it is not spyware, unapproved IM application or some other obviously third-party application that shouldn't be used on a company system. The current color scheme stands out way too much on the standard off-gray Office 2007 Outlook. Thank you.

[cornu]

I must say I like the Xobni look a lot. In fact, I'd love to see a Xobni skin for Outlook

Or you work @ Xobni or something's wrong with your eyes :)

Install Windows XP default colours, it also contains that ugly green :p

[Disinto]

I love Xobni colors, and it's quite an eye catcher for colleagues passing by my cubicle! It may be one of the reasons why it's been propagated so quickly here.

[RichardMiami]

I understand the need for "branding" Xobni - it is an awesome application. BUT I really think that user adoption would spread if it could be skinned at user choice - even if only to have an integrated look with Outlook.

Good luck with Xobni - it is GREAT :)