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Thread: Color Contrast Testing Visual Question

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Number of posts in this thread: 8 (In chronological order)

From: Jim Homme
Date: Fri, Aug 23 2019 9:18AM
Subject: Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
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Hi,
This is a question for my understanding as a totally blind person. A tester reports that content passes or fails contrast testing depending on monitor settings. We are using Colour Contrast Analyzer. If this is the case, how can we depend on accurate results, because we would not know the kind of monitor an audience has?

Thanks.

Jim



==========
Jim Homme
Digital Accessibility
Bender Consulting Services
412-787-8567
https://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions

From: Steve Green
Date: Fri, Aug 23 2019 9:30AM
Subject: Re: Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
← Previous message | Next message →

The tester's comments do not appear to make sense. Apart from monochrome monitors, it is almost impossible to buy a monitor that doesn't support 24-bit colour, so the displayed colours will always correspond accurately to the hex codes that have been specified.

It is possible that they are referring to the screen resolution rather than the colour depth, in which case they may have just written up the issue badly. Perhaps there are different colour combinations at different screen widths, depending on how the responsive design has been implemented.

Steve Green
Managing Director
Test Partners Ltd


-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > On Behalf Of Jim Homme
Sent: 23 August 2019 16:18
To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
Subject: [WebAIM] Color Contrast Testing Visual Question

Hi,
This is a question for my understanding as a totally blind person. A tester reports that content passes or fails contrast testing depending on monitor settings. We are using Colour Contrast Analyzer. If this is the case, how can we depend on accurate results, because we would not know the kind of monitor an audience has?

Thanks.

Jim



==========
Jim Homme
Digital Accessibility
Bender Consulting Services
412-787-8567
https://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions

From: Brian Lovely
Date: Fri, Aug 23 2019 9:29AM
Subject: Re: [External Sender] Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
← Previous message | Next message →

Hey Jim,

I am not familiar with this kind of finding, but I will say a few things
about this. To the best of my knowledge, the Colour Contrast Analyzer is
monitor-settings agnostic. It just takes two colors and performs some math
on them.The colors should come from the CSS, not from user monitor settings.

In my opinion, monitor variation and settings are the user's
responsibility. The web team cannot possibly account for this. I also would
avoid settling for the bare minimum. Just because 4.5 to 1 (for instance)
passes doesn't mean you shouldn't try for better. For one thing, 4.5 to 1
may be so close to the line that factors like the user's monitor can affect
visibility.

I humbly propose that your sighted tester is barking up the wrong tree. If
there is more information that can explain this to me, I would be willing
to revisit my opinion.

On Fri, Aug 23, 2019 at 11:18 AM Jim Homme < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:

> Hi,
> This is a question for my understanding as a totally blind person. A
> tester reports that content passes or fails contrast testing depending on
> monitor settings. We are using Colour Contrast Analyzer. If this is the
> case, how can we depend on accurate results, because we would not know the
> kind of monitor an audience has?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> ==========
> Jim Homme
> Digital Accessibility
> Bender Consulting Services
> 412-787-8567
>
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.benderconsult.com_our-2520services_hightest-2Daccessible-2Dtechnology-2Dsolutions&d=DwICAg&c=pLULRYW__RtkwsQUPxJVDGboCTdgji3AcHNJU0BpTJE&r=MMimM36KI-FWX0bnlG1RIV6Bl3MtdwmuKJCwL2Q3WrQ&m=syD9GMBOMYHGCO0LJu0Ln-aPpo14qnwLHgTz3KE_Qqo&s=DuWh5Mj4nBq5OBXbPPsgvBtLnD7Fav_CpT1j6DJnfL4&e=
>
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> List archives at
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> >


--
*Brian Lovely*
Capital One Digital Accessibility
804.389.1064




The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and/or proprietary to Capital One and/or its affiliates and may only be used solely in performance of work or services for Capital One. The information transmitted herewith is intended only for use by the individual or entity to which it is addressed. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, copying or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from your computer.

From: Maxability
Date: Fri, Aug 23 2019 9:39AM
Subject: Re: Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
← Previous message | Next message →

Hey Jim,

Color contrast is purely luminosity ratio between two color codes. These
color codes come from the CSS developers / designers define. Ideally the
test is performed on standard settings.

I have not tested or guided to test color contrast on mobile but we used
to take the screenshot of the mobile screen and open it on desktop for
color contrast, still the contrast ratios used to be accurate.

Thanks & Regards

Rakesh

On 8/23/2019 9:00 PM, Steve Green wrote:
> The tester's comments do not appear to make sense. Apart from monochrome monitors, it is almost impossible to buy a monitor that doesn't support 24-bit colour, so the displayed colours will always correspond accurately to the hex codes that have been specified.
>
> It is possible that they are referring to the screen resolution rather than the colour depth, in which case they may have just written up the issue badly. Perhaps there are different colour combinations at different screen widths, depending on how the responsive design has been implemented.
>
> Steve Green
> Managing Director
> Test Partners Ltd
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > On Behalf Of Jim Homme
> Sent: 23 August 2019 16:18
> To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Subject: [WebAIM] Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
>
> Hi,
> This is a question for my understanding as a totally blind person. A tester reports that content passes or fails contrast testing depending on monitor settings. We are using Colour Contrast Analyzer. If this is the case, how can we depend on accurate results, because we would not know the kind of monitor an audience has?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> ==========
> Jim Homme
> Digital Accessibility
> Bender Consulting Services
> 412-787-8567
> https://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions
>
> > > > > > >

From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Fri, Aug 23 2019 9:41AM
Subject: Re: Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
← Previous message | Next message →

On 23/08/2019 16:18, Jim Homme wrote:
> Hi,
> This is a question for my understanding as a totally blind person. A tester reports that content passes or fails contrast testing depending on monitor settings. We are using Colour Contrast Analyzer. If this is the case, how can we depend on accurate results, because we would not know the kind of monitor an audience has?

The tester may be referring to this bug in current Colour Contrast
Analyser, which is unfortunately not likely to get solved any time soon
(or, I fear, at all, due to the limitations of using Electron for the app)

https://github.com/ThePacielloGroup/CCAe/issues/76

Testers should refer back to the actual values defined in the CSS /
using developer tools to find the actual computed foreground/background
values, and stick those into the text fields of CCA to find the correct
ratio.

Because yes, to pass the SC, you don't take the user's
calibration/settings into account, as that would be impossible for
authors to account for.

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

www.splintered.co.uk | https://github.com/patrickhlauke
http://flickr.com/photos/redux/ | http://redux.deviantart.com
twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke

From: L Snider
Date: Fri, Aug 23 2019 9:43AM
Subject: Re: Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
← Previous message | Next message →

One more thing to mention, is that not every single person can access
the contrast, even if it passes...It is not black and white (irony
intended).

Cheers

Lisa

On Fri, Aug 23, 2019 at 12:39 PM Maxability < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > wrote:
>
> Hey Jim,
>
> Color contrast is purely luminosity ratio between two color codes. These
> color codes come from the CSS developers / designers define. Ideally the
> test is performed on standard settings.
>
> I have not tested or guided to test color contrast on mobile but we used
> to take the screenshot of the mobile screen and open it on desktop for
> color contrast, still the contrast ratios used to be accurate.
>
> Thanks & Regards
>
> Rakesh
>
> On 8/23/2019 9:00 PM, Steve Green wrote:
> > The tester's comments do not appear to make sense. Apart from monochrome monitors, it is almost impossible to buy a monitor that doesn't support 24-bit colour, so the displayed colours will always correspond accurately to the hex codes that have been specified.
> >
> > It is possible that they are referring to the screen resolution rather than the colour depth, in which case they may have just written up the issue badly. Perhaps there are different colour combinations at different screen widths, depending on how the responsive design has been implemented.
> >
> > Steve Green
> > Managing Director
> > Test Partners Ltd
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > On Behalf Of Jim Homme
> > Sent: 23 August 2019 16:18
> > To: WebAIM Discussion List < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> > Subject: [WebAIM] Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
> >
> > Hi,
> > This is a question for my understanding as a totally blind person. A tester reports that content passes or fails contrast testing depending on monitor settings. We are using Colour Contrast Analyzer. If this is the case, how can we depend on accurate results, because we would not know the kind of monitor an audience has?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Jim
> >
> >
> >
> > ==========
> > Jim Homme
> > Digital Accessibility
> > Bender Consulting Services
> > 412-787-8567
> > https://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions
> >
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

From: Brian Lovely
Date: Fri, Aug 23 2019 9:44AM
Subject: Re: [External Sender]Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
← Previous message | Next message →

Patrick said "The tester may be referring to this bug in current Colour
Contrast
Analyser "

Good catch Patrick, in the meantime there are lots of color contrast tools
available, for instance https://app.contrast-finder.org/




The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and/or proprietary to Capital One and/or its affiliates and may only be used solely in performance of work or services for Capital One. The information transmitted herewith is intended only for use by the individual or entity to which it is addressed. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, copying or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from your computer.

From: Jim Homme
Date: Fri, Aug 23 2019 10:03AM
Subject: Re: Color Contrast Testing Visual Question
← Previous message | No next message

Hi,
The team is not using the newest version of the tool. Is the bug old?

Thanks.

Jim



==========
Jim Homme
Digital Accessibility
Bender Consulting Services
412-787-8567
https://www.benderconsult.com/our%20services/hightest-accessible-technology-solutions

-----Original Message-----
From: WebAIM-Forum < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > On Behalf Of Patrick H. Lauke
Sent: Friday, August 23, 2019 11:41 AM
To: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Color Contrast Testing Visual Question

On 23/08/2019 16:18, Jim Homme wrote:
> Hi,
> This is a question for my understanding as a totally blind person. A tester reports that content passes or fails contrast testing depending on monitor settings. We are using Colour Contrast Analyzer. If this is the case, how can we depend on accurate results, because we would not know the kind of monitor an audience has?

The tester may be referring to this bug in current Colour Contrast Analyser, which is unfortunately not likely to get solved any time soon (or, I fear, at all, due to the limitations of using Electron for the app)

https://github.com/ThePacielloGroup/CCAe/issues/76

Testers should refer back to the actual values defined in the CSS / using developer tools to find the actual computed foreground/background values, and stick those into the text fields of CCA to find the correct ratio.

Because yes, to pass the SC, you don't take the user's calibration/settings into account, as that would be impossible for authors to account for.

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke

www.splintered.co.uk | https://github.com/patrickhlauke
http://flickr.com/photos/redux/ | http://redux.deviantart.com
twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke