» A monologue is not a conversation – 500 user responses giveaway

A monologue is not a conversation – 500 user responses giveaway

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As uncanny as it feels, Stamp Collecting Blog is rapidly reaching the 500 approved user responses mark. If the current response rate keeps up, this limit will be breaken sometime before the end of this year. To spice up the (both existing and upcoming) conversations, I’ve come up with yet another survey – but this time there are also giveaway prizes included.

Update 1.1.2010. The voting and giveaway have ended… Please scroll to bottom of the page for results.

I know, that not all readers like the current “dark background, white text” combination. Thus I have created a set of alternative color schemes to try live on this website.

Your mission is a simple vote: Which of the available color schemes pleases you best?

The alternatives are:
1) Black text on white background
2) Black larger text on white background
3) Black text on light blue background
4) Light gray text on black background (current default)

The alternative receiving most votes will become the default style for this website in 2010. You can cast Your vote by leaving a response in this topic.This survey will run until the end of year 2009, so that as many readers as possible can vote in / give their opinion.

And then for the giveaway… I have five “worldwide philatelic mystery items” to giveaway. I will donate them to five randomly selected user response/comment writers.

The competition part is that the more replies/responses/comments You contribute during the period, the better changes to win one of the prizes. The responses may be written at this or any other existing (or upcoming) topic at the blog between 8th November 2009 and 31st December 2009.

Please note that this is not a numbers only game, as my goal is to promote true conversation. Any user response I see unfit – such as oneliners without real content, spam etc – will be simply deleted and disqualified.

Hope you all enjoy the survey / competition!

Update 1.1.2010. Final votes. Voting has ended. The people’s choise is… (drumroll please) … Black text on light blue background.

Final voting situation

And then for the giveaway winners… (more drumroll,please)… Shane, Richard, Rohan, Flor and Carol. I will email you all sometime next week for your mailing addresses. Congrats!

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Cheema wrote:

Dear Keijo!

You have a wonderful blog already but I believe that white text on black background always fall very heavy on eyes, especially when seen in higher resolution (Smaller font).

I am running a blog with similar style and thinking of changing it for a long time but not getting any time for it. There is one HUGE advantage of black background and it is that your pictures look very neat, clear, attractive and beautiful on black background.

I also run another related blog. It features black text on white background and I absolutely love it. The main background of the blog is blue which gives more attraction to it and adds color to it.

I vote for BLACK TEXT ON WHITE BACKGROUND.

I hope that I get one of your mystery items and add them to my lovely collection.
Best Regards
Yours Cheema

Keijo wrote:

Hi Cheema,

and thanks for opening up the discussion.

Colors are a difficult matter as several factors influence on how people experience them. For example on laptop screen the black background/white text combination seems much “softer” than on traditional CRT display. Display color calibration does have a huge effect too – what seems red on my (properly calibrated display), may seem anything from bright orange to dark brown on unproperly calibrated display. Background lighting affects how black/white are perceived by the eye. Etc… I know pleasing everyone is mission impossible, but this time I’m letting You readers to decide to which direction the blog should go.

PS. Hope you don’t mind with me editing your original response. I thought a bit of re-formatting would do only good for the readability.

Fernando wrote:

Me parece mejor el texto negro sobre el fondo blanco, ya que el blanco a parte de dar mas luz, da mas claridad, mas amplitud, mas libertad, y el negro sobre él da sensacion de resalte

saludos

Hola Fernando,

y gracias por la respuesta. Así que es de dos votos para el negro sobre blanco.

saludos,
-keijo-

Rohan Deshpande wrote:

hello,

i think that black text on light blue background looks the best……!!!!
it’s easy to read, and unlike black on white, looks good too…….

hope this becomes the new theme in 2010

bilbo wrote:

Prefer the black text on the light blue background. Much easier on the eyes and the contrast is good for reading.

Having said that, I’m more than pleased with the site as is.

take care,

bilbo………..

Linella G. Cuevas wrote:

Hi,

Much as I love your present format because the white text really stands out in a black background, I think a midnight black text on sky blue background would be more gentle on our aging eyes.

I take this opportunity to express my appreciation for your intelligent , informative, and at the same time entertaining blog entries. More power to you.

Mabuhay!

Linella

S.R.Arunkumar wrote:

I think Black text on light blue background will be good.

Pete Croft wrote:

Having eyes that are showing signs of failing over the years, I would much prefer a darker colour on a white background. Change or not keep the site going please.

@Pete – the site will definitely go on. I have plenty of ideas/ material to share and write about.

Keep your votes coming!!!

Brian Kavanagh wrote:

Of the alternatives you offer black on very light blue I think would be best.

David wrote:

I will be happy with any color change, but prefer it as is. It sets this site a bit apart from most other stamp sites and adds a bit of mystique and prestige. The color of the stamps pop out of the page the best with a black background. A white background can sometimes make a site feel cluttered, not sure why, that is just my impression. However, perhaps a wee bit larger font would be helpful. Keep up the great work. The content is great!

@David,
so You vote for the current white on black (or actually it’s light gray on dull black)?

The reason I’m letting readers to decide their favourite is simply because there has been a silent, but constant flow of feedback about the color combination. My personal wish is that this voting will end the somewhat non-trivial discussion, and I can say with a big smile that this is what readers voted for So the results of the voting will change default style/theme. However, like now (and for the last 6 months), each user can set their personalized settings to prefer one style over another simply by visiting the “Misc” section from the top navigation. And yes, very likely I will personally continue to to the white on black combination as it makes the images look better (but my vote doesn’t count unless there is a tie between two alternatives).

But keep on voting folks!

T-M wrote:

I would prefer black on light blue. I like te current light grey on black, too, but sometimes it’s a little bit hard to read. The bigger text would be more readable, but I think the longer articles would become to long if the text would be bigger.

Carol Ligda-Wong wrote:

I vote for black text on light blue background. It’s nice to know each of us can change the default on our own computer to any of the other choices whenever we want. It’s a win-win proposition.

ian - Norvic wrote:

It has to be black on light blue.

Larger text can be achieved on individual readers’ browser settings.

bk wrote:

hi keijo, my vote is

3) Black text on light blue background

Svend wrote:

Jayne Grenon wrote:

Well my vote is defenitely for Black on Blue with larger text so I don’t have to squint when I read your blog, I always look forward to Sunday to see what’s new in Finland, very interesting to read others opinions. Stamp collectors “Let’s Unite”
we are like a big family with similar interest.

shrikant modh wrote:

Well from the options you gave the first one will be great combination i.e. black in white background.

Now about your current theme, its very great. If you consider putting black text in light grey back ground will also be good.

hope 2010 will be great for philatelist with lots of new stamps around.

Miha wrote:

Definitely black text on light blue background.

Braz Vaidya wrote:

I like your site but it is difficult to read small white text in black background. I would prefer to have lighter background with dark font.

Shane wrote:

I vote for black text on light blue. Black on white is too common.

AdA wrote:

Because of the ‘white letters on black background’, I do not read the vast majority of your posts. I know I can change it, but it’s a pain in the ass, if you forgive me the expression, to change it every time I come on this site. So the title of your post has to -definitely- be interesting for me to come here. Which I think is a shame because your blog is definitely interesting, but it gives me a headache everytime….
So if you still count the votes, I vote for black letters on white background.

Hi AdA,

I appreciate straight talk. The world (not to mention Internet) would be a whole lot better place if people weren’t overcautious with their opinions.

I still count the votes for the next 34 hours, but as You (and everyone else) can see, I’m already giving the new colors and design a test drive

best,
-keijo-

The voting has now officially ended.

I’ve updated the above article to include final results as well as the names of the giveaway winners.

Happy new year everyone!
-keijo-

Dear Keijo,

I received your prize today (January 19). I am delighted that I don’t have ANY of the stamps in my collection, and I am enjoying researching the subjects. The photograph of Mauritius with the stamp showing the same mountain is quite a treasure and so is the Silver Jubilee cover. Thank you again for your generosity.

How about creating a Suggestion Box for new topics your readers might want you to write about. “A monologue…” seems to be a rather obtuse heading, and I don’t know where else to post my ideas. I would like to know about great stamp stories/literature that have been published as articles, short stories and novels. Things that aren’t as academic as catalogs, auctions and how-to’s. For example, have you read “The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” by Alan Bradley? It’s an award-winning mystery relating to philately. The heroine is an 11 year-old girl.

Hi Carol,

The “What would you like to read” entry is pretty good spot to suggest future topics. Yes, it was written last autumn, but It’s still open for new suggestions and ideas. I’ve got quite a lot of rough ideas for future topics, but new ideas and approaches are welcomed.

But yes… stamp related literature, films etc might make fun, “lighter” topics. For example right now my kids are watching Postman Pat from the telly. It’s a great entertainment for people of all age. I don’t know if it’s big thing in the US, but in Europe Pat has been a well known figure for several decades.

As for Alan Bradley… I think the translated (Finnish) version might hit local bookstores this year. Usually best sellers take 6-18 months before they arrive Finland, but there are of course exceptions (like the latest Dan Brown and the Harry Potter’s)

I was just wondering, Keijo, if you could write something about your choice of stamps that appear at the top of your blog.

Consider it done