Do you find Colored scrollbars annoying??

**sambone** · Apr 13, 2002, 23:58

I think they are sometimes good for iframes and textareas. a good example would be http://www.youngpup.net/projects/dhtml/layerPopuper/

otherwise i see no point in changing the color.

Whats next in the future of changing the appearance of the users browser?

browser-color: pink;
toolbar-color: red;
status bar color: purple;

we can only wait.

**notepad_coder** · Apr 14, 2002, 00:06

Most are ok, but I hate the outlined ones, like the face is the backgound color and what not. I also dont like the ones where they only show the arrows and not the face.

**Andrew-J2000** · Apr 14, 2002, 00:16

it depends on the design of the website and whether it makes usability harder, in most cases they look ok, and allow the user to see them. but if its white on a white bg with black arrows this may not stand out to the user.

**qslack** · Apr 14, 2002, 01:01

I hate them.

I have a custom Aqua theme, but it doesn't theme any colored scrollbars. So here I have a perfectly nice Aqua desktop that even Steve Jobs couldn't tell apart from Mac OS X, and some site wants to come along and put this hunk of ugly, blocky pixels on my screen.

**moonman** · Apr 19, 2002, 08:30

I can't stand the default grey scroll bars. Has to be colour for me.

**Tiggy** · Apr 20, 2002, 09:57

I don't mind them if they fit in with the site, but if they are too garish then they can be annoying.

As for the usability issue, I don't really notice scrollbars unless they scream for my attention as I rarely use them! The only time I use a scrollbar on the page is when it is fairly lengthy and I want to get to the top or bottom of the page in a hurry. I've gotten so used to using my scroll wheel that find it a stuggle to remember to use a scrollbar for the next screenful when I'm forced to use it!

**Jeo** · Apr 22, 2002, 07:07

Great suggestions, guys.

Keep 'em coming!

**AljapaCo** · Apr 22, 2002, 16:19

Gimme a break here...

Isn´t there more serious things to get annoyed by!?
I personally think that they can add something to a site!

I would really like to hear from those who say that they are bugged by this!

**MissingArrow** · Apr 22, 2002, 17:50

Originally posted by AljapaCo
Gimme a break here...

Isn´t there more serious things to get annoyed by!?

I doubt people who are annoyed by scrollbars think of them as the most annoying thing out there. Its just this topic asked what we thought about them.

I would really like to hear from those who say that they are bugged by this!

What more would you like to hear? I mean I along with alot of others gave our opinions above on why we didn't like them. What more are you looking for, or are you just looking for more opinions of those that don't like them?

**Jeo** · Apr 22, 2002, 23:37

Originally posted by AljapaCo
Gimme a break here...

Isn´t there more serious things to get annoyed by!?
I personally think that they can add something to a site!

I would really like to hear from those who say that they are bugged by this!

I think YOU are missing the point here!
I made this thread to hear everyone's different opinions and I think that's the main porpuse of this forums so lets respect their opinions OK

**Andrew-J2000** · Apr 22, 2002, 23:42

If the scrollbar fits in then fair enough, but if it desn't and you dont like it close the damn site down, simple as that!

**AljapaCo** · Apr 23, 2002, 09:27

Geeeeeeeze.....

Didn´t know that this was such a hot topic...
I get bugged with applets that crash my browser etc and haven´t actually thought twice about them scrollbars

I second Andrew:

if you dont like it close the damn site down, simple as that!

NUFF SAID FROM ME

**Andrew-J2000** · Apr 23, 2002, 19:57

hehe

If I dont like the site i would just exit it without a second thought, its not normally the scroll bars its the whole representation of the site that will discourage users.

**Ian Glass** · Apr 23, 2002, 22:02

Short Ode to Colored Scroll Bars
Ian Glass

Colored scroll bars, how do I loathe thee?
Your alteration of my settings has made me drop I.E.!

Is it your imposing presence on many a page?
Is it that you make the position hard to gauge?

Is it that you're often difficult to see?
Is it that you've put designers above me?

Is it that to the page you bring nothin'?
Is it that you are as useful as a puffin?

In the end, we may never know the extent,
but I just wish you'd die and to hell be you sent!

And, yes, I could close the browser just for spite,
but do you really want that to happen to your site?

~~Ian

**trout67** · Apr 23, 2002, 22:09

As it has already been said. Anything can be done well just like anything can be done poorly. To just dislike because they are unconventional is narrow minded. Do they suit the site they are being used in?

If not then don't use them. The scrollbar should never be more important then the content of the site or the page you are viewing. If they attract more attention then teh content, you're in trouble.

**Andrew-J2000** · Apr 23, 2002, 22:09

hehe Ian I Guess your a fanatic of scrollbars then

**Ian Glass** · Apr 23, 2002, 22:32

I can't get enough of them -- that way I can reaffirm my feelings... ;-)

Actually, I don't mind them too much on stuff inside the page like <OBJECT>s and <IFRAME>s, but keep your mitts off the side! ---->

To me, the Web would be better without them or at least if MS concentrated on the correct box model before introducing them. They put the designer's desires before the users' needs and that's never a good fire to fan. Anyway, coloring scroll bars is just generally pointless to me and I never like pointless things on a Web page. On top of that, they're just ugly (I've never seen a case where scroll bars looked good colored, or even better than the OS defaults).

I guess I'm just an ole' boring curmudgeon. ;-)

~~Ian

**Andrew-J2000** · Apr 23, 2002, 23:00

what about other types, like ones made in javascript, that can get a different shape & colour to them.

**beley** · Apr 29, 2002, 22:54

I think you should have put an "It Depends" option on the poll.

Look at SPF's scrollbar... very tasteful and non-intruding and it follows the color scheme of the site. I think it was very well done. However, the sites that have bright yellow/black scrollbars should be shut down!

**nOttY nUt** · Apr 30, 2002, 10:56

no.. i don't find scroll bars annoying..

i only hate them, when the designer uses colors that makes them difficult to spot and use...

to me, if scrollbars are used intelligently, they can add quite a few stars to ur site.. (eg sitepoint)

notty

**darkfires** · Apr 30, 2002, 14:38

I agree with the bit about the scrollbars integrating seamlessly with the layout. I think http://www.deviantart.com/ did a superb job of doing this.

**Skunk** · May 1, 2002, 18:08

Originally posted by Andrew-J2000
what about other types, like ones made in javascript, that can get a different shape & colour to them.

Personally I can't stand them. They're often quite hard to spot, and most "layers" that are meant to be controlled by custom up-down buttons don't work with the mouse wheel (or when I select and drag text in the layer to scroll the page). They also frequently don't work too well in Mozilla - I saw a site the other day where the layer only scrolled if you clicked and released the down button (in IE it scrolled when you hovered your mouse over it).

As far as coloured scrollbars go I never see them because they are an IE only feature. There are no plans to add them to the CSS standards as they are considered a browser/UI element rather than something that should be styled. I know Mozilla doesn't intend to add support for them and I'm pretty sure Opera doesn't either.

**redux** · May 2, 2002, 18:33

is it just me, or does you css not validate once you use the coloured scrollbar options ? http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/
i mean, i would understand why...as it's an IE specific feature (and not very wisely implemented either, i might add)

and before anybody screams bleeding murder...yes, i do use them on my own site...

**jbradley** · May 12, 2002, 23:10

As long as they blend in with the colors on the site, such as the ones on this site. However, some sites use colors that are totally opposite from their color scheme. As long as they don't draw attention to the scroll bar, they're ok with me. Your site visitors have enough distractions already, so don't take their attention away from your site by adding some really obnoxious color to the scrollbar.

Jason

**Ruchir** · May 13, 2002, 06:07

actually, if they match with the site colors, they look quite cool. i dont find any problems with them. if they make the site look better, how can they be annoying. i am in favour of them as anyhow they dont cause any harms !!

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