Window backgrounds - how to change?

from Stardock Forums

I just upgraded to Windows 7.  I love it so far, and I love Aero, but I'm having a huge problem:  All of the backgrounds for all of the windows (for instance when browsing a drive, or the writing surface in Notepad) are pure, bright white.  I am photosensitive and staring at a bright white window is very, very painful.  It's like staring at a lightbulb, and I get a headache after working with Windows for even 15 minutes.

So, I grabbed Windowblinds 7.  For the life of me, though, I can't figure out how to change the backgrounds.  I can go into the various settings and change the color to a light gray, but it doesn't actually have any effect.  I could change this on earlier versions of Windows and Windowblinds, but can't figure out how to do it now.  Any help would be appreciated.

windowblinds
2,849 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Windwalker, open the WindowBlinds Configuration window (where you see all the skins) and look at the very bottom: Explorer Backgrounds)...choose what's most comfortable and click "apply: on the top bar on the left.

You'll have to do that with each new blind...but that's no biggy. :)

You can also adjust the brightness of your screen....through the search option in your start menu.

 

Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

It appears that the "Explorer Backgrounds" option will be grayed out on all of the "Aero skins." In order to utilize that option, you'll probably have to use another type of skin. A few of them were pre loaded with WB, but there are a lot of them in the galleries.

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Have you tried decreasing your screen brightness through the Start Menu?

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

It's a shame that Microsoft put so much stock in their Aero skin but didn't take into account that people might not want to stare at a pure white light all day, or that it is painful for some people (even this site hurts.)  Changing overall system brightness isn't viable - I game a lot, and changing it to the point that a pure white surface is comfortable would cause problems there.   I'll just have to experiment with skins for a bit.

 

Thanks for all the input.

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

You might try talking with an optician or Ophthalmologist regarding special lenses you might wear. Seems to me a gray might do all you ask, and be quite managable cost wise.

* edit: Try this link: http://www.aquiladigital.us/darkadapted/

exerpt:

"DarkAdapted is an application program. It controls the amount of red, green, and blue in your screen gamma so that you may, for example, preserve your dark adaptation while using your computer. Gamma fades can be scheduled, AppleScripts may be scheduled, and system-wide hotkeys can be set up to execute AppleScripts and gamma fades.

DarkAdapted is being used by astronomers, planetarium operators, graphics professionals, medical professionals, airline pilots, air traffic controllers, and others worldwide to provide flexible, dynamic control over their monitor's screen color response. People with monitors that appear too bright (such as owners of certain iMac models), also find DarkAdapted to be valuable. Users may define an unlimited number of gamma presets, and invoke them via global hotkeys, by menu selection, or by typing the first few letters of a preset’s name."

It would seem to fit the bill for you.