Hello,
I have long-standing problems with things like interface changes - particularly when they involve visual aspects. I have a MODERATE case of Asperger's Syndrome compounded by severe visual problems (Keratoconus, light and colour over-sensitivity, extreme myopia and astigmatism). Late last year i Killed my Motherboard and had to change to a new computer which came pre-installed with Vista. An attempt to revert the new machine to XP failed spectacularly and the only solution was to move up to Vista.

I need someone who understand the interface between Vista and the internet better than I do as I am not finding what I need to know by searching on-line, even in the Microsoft and Firefox forums.

As an example of just ONE of my problems.

I use Notepad windows all the time while I am working. Yesterday I had 13 of these files open at one time! I have the screen set to display pale aqua text on a dark purple background, which is what is most comfortable for my eyesight on screen. In XP, if I printed one of these files, it printed as black text on a white background. Now, in Vista, my B&W PRINTER (Brother Laser Printer HL-2040) tries to emulate these colours, resulting in a very dark grey background, with barely paler grey text: this is both illegible; and highly wasteful of toner!

I HAVE developed a kludgey and very time consuming work-around (closing the open file, reopening it in SWwriter, spending time adjusting the page format so it prints the way it would have in notepad, printing it, then going back to notepad for more edits etc.) but this really isn't a satisfactory solution for the long term.

All I want to do is to be able to print as I did before (on demand and in B&W!) surely it should not be so hard?

My Computer SPECIFICATIONS are:

Operating System - MS Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit SP1
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 @ 1.86GHz
RAM - 2.0GB DDR2

My primary productive Software Programs are:

Browser: Firefox 3.6.17
Email 1: Mailwasher (used for screening email only)
Email 2: Eudora (used for writing and sending email)
Office Software: Open Office 3.0
Photography: Kodak Easyshare, Picasa, Faststone Photo Resizer.

I also have a legacy DOS database program (Professional File) that mostly works OK (when using Tame to control some of DOS's more noxious behaviour) although, again, I am having printer issues, but that is a topic for a whole different thread.

Overall, I am getting more and more worried about the arbitrary changes which seem to be happening as software is updated. First it was Windows (I have been thoroughly warned away from Windows 7) and now it looks as if Firefox is going the same way as FF4 appears to be a disaster from my point of view. I REALLY cannot cope with constant interface changes, but I worry about security holes in out-of date programs and would like to access any improvements available in speed and memory handling as they become available.

My current custom scheme for the Windows (Standard Theme) is as follows:

Part One: Set by right clicking on the Desktop and selecting Personalise; then choose Window Colour and Appearance

Item SizeColour 1:Colour 2: Font:Size:Colour: B: I:

3D Objects N/A145-135-201N/A N/AN/A114-000-138 N/A N/A
Active Title Bar 21064-000-128102-000-128 TNR12230-255-255 Bold ------
Active Window Border1145-135-201N/A N/AN/AN/A N/A N/A
Application BackgroundN/A082-069-154N/A N/AN/AN/A N/A N/A
Border Padding0N/A N/A N/AN/AN/A N/A N/A
Caption Buttons20N/A N/A N/AN/AN/A N/A N/A
Desktop N/A085-000-170N/A N/AN/AN/A N/A N/A
Disabled Item N/AN/A N/A N/AN/A082-069-154 N/A N/A
Hyperlink N/AN/A N/A N/AN/A196-255-255 N/A N/A
Icon 16N/A N/A TNR8N/A Bold ------
Icon Spacing (Horizontal)40N/A N/A N/AN/AN/A N/A N/A
Icon Spacing (Vertical)40N/A N/A N/AN/AN/A N/A N/A
Inactive Title Bar21082-069-154100-090-154 TNR12160-180-240 Bold ------
Inactive Window Border1145-135-201N/A N/AN/AN/A N/A N/A
Menu 18145-135-201N/A TNR10000-000-000 N/A N/A
Message Box N/AN/A N/A TNR8159-255-255 Bold ------
Palette Title 20N/A N/A TNR10N/A Bold ------
Scrollbar 18N/A N/A N/AN/AN/A N/A N/A
Selected Items 18000-000-000N/A TNR10230-255-255 N/A N/A
Tooltip N/A230-255-255 N/A TNR8064-000-128 Bold ------
Window N/A080-000-100N/A N/AN/A159-255-255 N/A N/A

All Colour Numbers are RRR-GGG-BBB TNR = Times New Roman N/A = Not Applicable

Part Two: Set by opening Control Panel then selecting Internet Properties. Choose Appearance and set the "Colors" button values to -

TEXT: 171 254 234 (Pale Aqua)
BACKGROUND: 072 000 128 (Dark Violet)
VISITED: 128 000 128 (Turquoise)
UNVISITED: 000 000 255 (Lavender) 132 132 255
HOVER: 128 000 255 (Light Magenta) 187 125 255

Make sure that "Use Windows Colours" is Unchecked, then choose the "Accessibility" button and Check ONLY "Ignore colors" and
"Ignore font styles" - leave "Ignore font sizes" UNCHECKED!

THIS part 2 is what I think causes a lot of my problems, However; this is also the THING I really need to have - the visual disability OPTIONS that I have been able to find all seem to be about increasing contrast - whereas what I am trying to do is reduce the contrast between background and foreground and differentiate the two by means of colour only. I am hypersensitive to ANY really bright colours on screen, especially white, yellow, and red; which I try to avoid completely where possible. I also cannot cope with things like the Aero style "3D" themes. I am attaching a screen shot of my current scheme.

I am hoping for a two - part solution: Firstly, someone who can help me with my Printing issue, and then, later on any people who can guide me in fixing all of the other issues which this change of operating system has caused.

Yours Sincerely,
Kaelkitty.


PS Apologies for the table above - I just cant work oout how to make it line up





[recovering disk space - old attachment deleted by admin]My problem is similar. My machines have both Vista and Windows 7, but I use Windows XP more often because of my visual disability it is just to hard to change things.

Here is something you may want to try, it you have a friend that will help you. There is a Virtual Machine that can run Windows XP inside of Vista. It is a bit slow, but not too bad. That way you can use your old settings. But you need a legal copy of XP. I think.Great! Now there are two of us!

I'm afraid that my "legal copy of XP" went to God along with the machine I fried back in October. I would REALLY like to progress with my computer capabilities, but as you state it is very difficult!

Thanks for the suggestion though.
KK.