[SallyintNorth]

Will be back to write more if there is interest, but the headlines are :

Ravelry owners and management continue to dismiss and snub users who have accessibility issues of all kinds, continue to deny that their site or any version of it can or ever could cause a seizure or a migraine, continue to shut down any criticism or negative feedback of their site, and will be turning off the original "Classic" interface on 31st March.

In fairness, they have introduced two "skins" which help some users, which they call "Herdwick" (a pale grey compared to the primary skin, which they call Merino), and "Balwen" (their version of a dark mode). 

There are also 3rd party add-ons (not supported by Ravelry), which help a great many people.  I can give more info if anyone wants any.  These style sheets do not work on iOS but do work on most other platforms, I think.

In solidarity with those who have had to leave already, and those who will have to leave on Thursday, a number of us will be logging out for 3 days, 31st March to 2nd April, and most of us are setting our ravatars to one of the "greenout" options, of which one is attached.

[Fleecewife]

I just popped across to have a look.  Who had the idea of a strike in protest?  I assume the 'skin' is the background colour or shade of pages.   As tonight was the first message I've posted on ravelry in well over a year if I remember correctly, there's not a whole lot of point in my joining the greenout, but I think it's a great way to let the owners know your feelings.
I am very sensitive to screens and contrast, and get migraines from flicker and flashes (makes watching crime dramas with so many police lights flashing, rather a pain).  Also driving past trees with the sun shining through, 'disco' type flashing lights, strobes and so on.  It sometimes feel as if I will go into a seizure but fortunetly it always stops at the migraine.


What was the 'classic' interface?  One background I can't bear is purple, which usually seems to have black writing on, and is almost illegible for me.  Maybe I should be first in line to get my specs checked after my second vaccination.
ps - what's iOS?

[Backinwellies]

very interesting ....  I rarely use ravelry so no point me joining protest.

     I would like to add here though that  black on white is the worst for most people with Meares-Irlen syndrome ...... a condition in which text appears to move or flicker when read. which affects 12 to 15% of population (often associated with dyslexia).   So Accidental smallholder it would be good to change defaut to blue  ...... or green .

or change background colour

My daughter really struggled to learn to read till at age 11 I suddenly realised this was what her problem was.

[Fleecewife]

That blue is horrid @backinwellies but the green is good.


Maybe @Dan could play around with type and background colours in his spare time (I know, what's spare time?)

[SallyintNorth]

That blue is horrid @backinwellies but the green is good.

Same response here.

But I don't have a problem with the black.

One of the issues on nuRav is the increased line spacing coupled with the very white background and very black text, and having reorganised the screen so that people need to scroll more.   More white, bigger gaps between lines of text=> more scrolling => more strobing, which is a known(¹⁾ trigger for seizures and migraines.

(¹⁾ Known, that is, to the world except Ravelry's owners and staff... who are still in gaslighting denial....

[Fleecewife]

Scrolling is a true migraine starter.  My worst job every couple of weeks is to compile the Sainsbury's Click-and-collect order.  Checking and double checking involves a whole lot of scrolling, and after that I have to have a day off the computer and sometimes can't read my Kindle.  In my brief foray onto ravelry yesterday, I didn't spot the increased spacing and scrolling, probably because it's so long since I last went there.


One thing I notice when using the computer generally is that I tend to forget how to spell, compared to writing by hand, when I don't usually make mistakes.  I have to check and recheck my posts and emails really thoroughly, and sometimes I read something as if it's correct when it's a mistake.  I know that is a general part of the way the brain functions, filling in the gaps or understanding misspelling, but I do find it much worse on the computer.

[Lesley Silvester]

I returned to Ravelry after months of not going on there, only to discover that it had all changed. What happened to the groups? I only use it for pattern hunting now. I don't like the new format.


I am dyslexic and find I struggle to read white writing on most colour backgrounds, especially paler ones. I am best with black on white or blue.

[SallyintNorth]

Forums has moved to the Community tab (top bar).

The navigation in NuRav is actually good for fully-sighted users, once you are used to the change, but apparently it is bonkers for partially-sighted users using screen readers.

You may well prefer the Merino version of the interface, which uses bolder colours than Herdwick.  Or possibly even Balwen, which is light on dark blue.  You can switch between them on your profile menu, top right under your ravatar, choose the mode you want.  Merino (bright) is first, then Herdwick (muted and no drop shadows), then Balwen ("dark" mode) then "use system settings" (to switch Balwen on and off according to your nighttime settings.)