Use of colour: Use of colour and readability

• Positive text (dark text against a light background) is considered more readable than negative text (light against dark).
  There are exceptions: programmers and other people who spend a great deal of time looking at monitors can experience difficulties with a bright white background, and sometimes prefer a dark background. In general a light background will be considered more pleasant, although pure white can come across as glaring. This is something to consider, even if it is not a hard and fast guideline.
• The use of bright colours, for text as well as background (behind text) is discouraged. It has a tiring effect on the eyes and does not improve readability.
  The background fades into thin fonts. This is mainly the case with CRT monitors because they are light projectors. With TFT monitors it is less of a problem.
• Red on black and black on red are discouraged.
• Green, orange, brown and yellow are discouraged.
• Provide sufficient contrast in brightness between the text and the background colour.
  The importance for colour blind visitors apart, some monitors do not represent subtle colour differences correctly.