Premiere Pro CC: can blue text interface be changed back to yellow?

[ninose11]

Just wondering if there's an option in preferences to change the color of the interface text. It used to be yellow and now it's more difficult to see.

I notice the blue text across the entire range of updated programs: AE, PP, Photoshop, etc.

So is it a setting in the cloud itself that would allow me to change the color back to yellow?

If not, not big issue, I'll just have to get used to it. Love the new interface in any case. Much more responsive with no issues.

Thank you, Adobe!

[kbjohnson1]

52 years old.  Blue has never been an easy color for me to resolve details in.  It actually tends to wander around a bit in space.  This may be a chromatic aberration effect.  Every pair of glasses I've ever had has had the tendency to shift blues away from the other colors... some much worse than others.  Its nauseating on a bad pair of glasses.

The post office created a bunch of its signs with a blue like this lit from inside, and it floats around so much in my vision at night, I avert my eyes from it when driving past to avoid being distracted! 

This change looked nice until I started trying to work in earnest.

Setting background to its darkest setting helps some, but it is still not good.

There is something missing in the research done by the Experience Design team.... looks like a significant segment of the population has the same trouble reading this color as I do.  Obviously, giving us control over it would be a great favor.

FYI, I'm looking at this on an apple 30" Cinema display.

[shooternz]

So what is the difference? Why is the blue font clearer for me than for you?

Its because you have over cranked your screen settings when setting it up for stills.

Post a FRAME GRAB and a SCREEN GRAB of HD Bars from Premiere.

[Steven L. Gotz]

I could be wrong, but I don't think it is brightness, but rather, clarity that makes the difference. I see the images in post #14 and mine looks a lot better. How does it look to you?

In any case, here are my HD Bars:

[nlphoto1234]

No, this is not just a subjective or screen adjustment thing.

Apples-to-apples comparison, screengrab of both side-by-side (Premiere CC on left, Premiere CC 2014 on right), on the same screen.  Of course, this is assuming that the colors are the same between Premiere CC and the first version of Premiere CC 2014, but I don't recall there being a change.

This image on here looks less clear than it does when it's actual size, but that's true for both sides.  Yet, if I squint, or look away and look back to this image, my eyes always come back to the yellow.  By that subjective measure, the yellow stands out more.

However, here's objective measurements to show there is a noticeable difference.

The yellow's brightest pixels have a brightness of between 96-99% (depending on which pixel you sample, I've included which pixels I've used below), with the background being 26% brightness.  So, the yellow is approximately 70-73% brighter than the background.  Notice also that the background itself is slightly lighter - if we made the background on the left as dark as the background on the right, the contrast would be even greater.

On the blue text, the brightest pixels have a brightness value of 74%, the background has a brightness level of 20%.  That's a difference of 54%. 

So, measuring objectively...

Yellow to background luminance difference: 70-73%

Blue to background luminance difference: 54%

And to show that I've truly compared apples-to-apples, here are the locations and values of the exact pixels I sampled:

One other thing that's worth noting...  That dotted underline that used to show up on the old version is GONE.  That also helped isolate the values and make them stand out.

Now, I suppose you're wondering why I just spent so much time trying to prove this point.  If I were to see someone else make a post like this, my initial thought would be "wow, this guy doesn't have a life!"

For some people it may not be a big deal, color and brightness perception works differently for different people, both on a physical and psychological level.

But for those of us who do see it (pun intended) as a big deal, it's a question of ergonomics, not just taste. 

[Steven L. Gotz]

OK, I get what you are saying, especially about the underline. however, I have a question.

What happens if you make the background the same color in both? Does it make it easier on your eyes to lighten  up the new version. I did so in order to see the scroll bars, not the text, but it is lighter nonetheless. I get the feeling that it would actually reduce the difference but perhaps increase usability? Or does it make it worse?

I guess I just don't have a problem with it the way it is on my screen. But it is an interesting subject, and I imagine that Adobe would ask the same question if you could chat with them about it. So we might as well get it out there in the open now.

[Jon-M-Spear]

I upped the monitor brightness to see whether that's a temporary fix.  But it ain't. In any case, I don't want to see washed out material that I've spend a fortune lighting and designing.

As I have said before somewhere, it's less to do with image brightness, more to do with the fact that the tonality / contrast between the two colours are almost identical.

I bet a colourblind user will be able to distinguish diddlysquat.

[seriousGeorge]

Same here... I'm not colorblind but it is harder to read than the old yellow Color. The blue looks way "cooler" for sure - but I'm favoring readability over coolness.

[the_dudes]

The new design is too harsh, less readable and not customizable.

Imagine the flat design as an option, like before =

[TimmyCrackCorn]

Just wanted to add my dissatisfaction with the blue (especially in AE, don't really use Premiere).  "While I generally prefer blue to yellow as a color, this new mix is definitely more difficult on the eyes.  There's not enough contrast between the blue and the background."  <-This. And pretty much everything other intelligent and thoughtful negative response about the new scheme.

ADOBE: Please make it user-selectable and/or go back to the yellow ASAP.

[jonny9091]

In PPro...not only is the blue text much harder to read overall, but the blue text in the Effects Controls area does not get any brighter when adjusting the background brightness. The TC values blue text does, but this vital info does not.

Additionally, it does not even match the blue text color in the After Effects Effects Controls area. It's the brighter blue seen in the TC values.

There's no continuity between programs either.

[Derjis]

I love that Adobe's official response is, essentially, "yeah, our Beta Testers really didn't like it, either, but we went ahead with it, anyway!"

"several beta testers reported that they started off not so keen on the new look, but within a short time they came to like it."

[jsimpsonJSD]

In the same way cattle will eat whatever you put in front of them.

We pay for this software (monthly!!) so I do hope our voices are heard.

Trying to alter velocity keyframes in Premiere is a joke now.

[Mediadude8]

I'm one of those people that usually doesn't complain on vendor forums, but I had to chime in here.  I started with the CC update this weekend and at first the blue text was a nice change (being a fan of the color blue), but then it actually starting becoming a distraction; instead of being part of the interface, I feel it's almost too much in your face (I keep my appearance slider on dark).  I was totally fine with the yellow, but if it has to be blue...maybe the saturation could be reduced or more cyan as someone else suggested.   I do appreciate that Adobe is constantly working on the software...so I don't think they intentionally set out to make it difficult to read...just not sure the text color is the right choice, when working in Premiere 16 hours a day. 

[jstrawn]

Sticking with that cool Yellow would have been my preference too.

My preference was, "If it ain't broke..." but who listens to me? 

It's good to keep in mind that these things get decided at pretty high levels of management after a lot of scrutiny and have a lot to do with keeping the larger Cloud offering harmonious and interoperable.  What works in one app does not work as well in others, so it's a real challenge trying to keep that balance and not all users will be happy wight he final decision. That said, if some users are having real vision trouble or even health problems (like headaches) after using our apps, that's a real concern, so it's good that those people have made their difficulties known. The best solution would be to make it customizable, but that may not be a quick feature to implement, architecturally.

[shooternz]

It's good to keep in mind that these things get decided at pretty high levels of management after a lot of scrutiny

I get that in my work too!

The client asks his wife / girl friend /office girl / accountant /dentist ....what they thinks of the TVC we just edited... and we change it.

Some of you might think I am joking.

[R Neil Haugen]

Unfortunately, shooter, I know how much you AREN'T joking.

If the design team had sat day after day, 8-12 hours per day, in a decently dark room working at NOTHING but PrPro or SpeedGrade or Ae and came up with this I'd have more sympathy for their thinking process. However ... as they clearly haven't ... well, I have little to no sympathy about this.

As a working professional I don't care at the end of the day if it's cool or spiffy or new fangled or looks like Smoke or even breathes fire. I only care how well it and I have been able to work together for that day.

And after this totally unasked for change, "it" ain't working nearly as well, nor unfortunately am I. Doesn't matter which of the digital  video/audio apps, I use PrPro, Ae (not as much), Speedgrade, and Audition ... and this makes my work harder and slower. Period.

It's a design choice that any research into the physics of how people and .. .especially men ... see ... would have suggested as STOOPID. It's a design choice that wouldn't fly by any of the pieces I've ever read about how to design for easy & quick readability.

And the whole and ENTIRE reason for changing is it looked cool to some of the design team. And well, beta testers didn't object to it too much after they sorta got used to it.

Wow.

Neil

[Derjis]

Looks like Adobe's got a bad case of the Apples!

Apple not paying attention to their customers, I understand; they make very little money off of the Pro market. Very few Apple users rely on their iPhones or whatever as a revenue stream.

Adobe constantly confounds me, though. It frequently seems like they don't understand (or don't care) that the vast majority of their customers use their software as a source of income. That's something that needs to treated very cautiously and respectfully; if you f**k with somebody's income, you'd better have a good reason, not just, like, "well, the designers think that yellow is SO 2012." Inconveniencing a bunch of cellphone users is one thing; they'll whine about it on the internet for a few weeks, and move on, no worse for wear. Making it more difficult to DO OUR JOBS (even in as small and seemingly inconsequential of a way as making text more difficult to read) is a completely different story. As I've said in another thread, time = money. If it takes me longer to do something, that's less money in my pocket, or less time to spend with my family.

[R Neil Haugen]

So hear you on this, Derjis .... I'm on a couple other forums where I'm known as a bit of an Adobe ... well, prefer-er? ... and I've got a few choice messages wanting to know what the H&LL Adobe was thinking. They just come over from Final Cut or Resolve, start settling in ... and suddenly Apple's STOOPID tricks they played on their pro graphics customers pop up here?

I don't have an answer for them. Other than PLEASE fill out the bug report forms. For many, this ... if not fixed ... IS a bug that will force them AWAY from Adobe to other products.

Neil

[David Kuspa]

As I mentioned in an earlier reply, the original spec'd blue text was a little brighter and we dialed it back due to feedback from prerelease users that it was too bright. Here's a screenshot for comparison:

David Kuspa | Adobe | Sr. Experience Designer, Digital Video & Audio

[jonny9091]

I think the original blue is far easier to read, but the ability to define one's own color scheme is far preferred.

my wish would be:

A. return the the full range the background color can be

B. User pref color picker that defines text and TC color...as well as the track targeting.

[tombo]

I agree... original Blue is so much easier on the eye... BUT Yellow is still best.

Please give the users the option of "Classic" yellow or "Modern" "Original" blue. (as in David's post above)

[jsimpsonJSD]

Who cares? You have HUNDREDS of complaints already, not even one week after launch. The best you can do is ARGUE that you originally has a 'different' blue??? Blue text on gray simply isn't legible with the size font being used. Come on! What's next, red on pink? Listen to your user base. Please.

Sent from my iPhone

[Derjis]

Look, you guys, bitching about this in the forums isn't really going to solve anything; it's not like Adobe even bothers listening to customer feedback... It sounds like the best we can do is start filing bug reports en masse and hope for the best.

Seriously, how did anyone think that a med-dark blue was a good idea for highlight text. I get that yellow is a fatiguing colour to look at for extended periods of time, but when paired with an overwhelmingly dark, neutral background, that's not really a concern. Yellow is also the most visible colour in the spectrum, handy when you're, y'know, trying to read small, important type on a high-rez screen... In terms of aesthetics, blue pairs quite nicely with lighter neutrals, but generally looks horrible with dark neutrals.

As I'd mentioned above, given your customer base, your first concern should be with the user experience, and whether you're making it easier for customers to do their job. Arbitrary, pointless UI changes with seemingly no forethought put into them are only going to p*ss off your customers. Remember, the more difficult you make it for us to earn money using your software, the less likely we are to continue to subscribe.

[coastalmedia]

I also do not like this colour change either.

It's taxing on my already questionable eyes.
Been using AE without a problem for 5+ years but this colour is throwing me, finding it hard to quickly spot things even though i know where they are. Would be nice to be able to change it, you can change all the interface colours in Audition without any issues so surely it can't be too hard to add in the extra functionality.

It's a worrying trend lately it seems with technology that fancy looks seem to be outweighing ease of use.

[Derjis]

To save you guys the search:

Adobe - Feature Request/Bug Report Form