# HTML/CSS - Background Image vs. Color?



## OnePostWonder (Feb 18, 2013)

When a very similar color is available, what is the purpose of having a single color background image?

For example, a reputable site using a background image as a default, and a color that is only a few RGB values different as a backup:

WebPlatform

Isn't it faster for the browser to parse the HTML rather than loading the image?  I know on a modern PC it makes little difference, but for people who are using older hardware it would seem to matter more.

Thanks in advance.


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## W1zzard (Feb 18, 2013)

the background image has a pattern, not a solid color


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## OnePostWonder (Feb 18, 2013)

W1zzard said:


> the background image has a pattern, not a solid color



bg-pattern.png

Wow, I knew they had called the file bg-pattern, but it looked like only one color to me.  I actually stared at that for a bit before I saw it wasn't uniform.

Zooming in in Paint showed more.  Is it some kind of effect to have such small variations in the image?

Also, how were you able to tell?  Good monitor?


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## W1zzard (Feb 18, 2013)

good monitor, good eyes, can read filenames

it is a subtle effect but even on sub-optimal monitors it has a visual effect


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## Frick (Feb 18, 2013)

I have bad eyes and a bad monitor and even I could see that it was a pattern. It's just a picture that repeats endlessly.


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## OnePostWonder (Feb 18, 2013)

W1zzard said:


> good monitor, good eyes, *can read filenames*
> 
> it is a subtle effect but even on sub-optimal monitors it has a visual effect



Tough day at work?



Frick said:


> I have bad eyes and a bad monitor and even I could see that it was a pattern. It's just a picture that repeats endlessly.



Implying what?

I have no way of controlling it, but I would say that without zooming in on the file, a large percentage of people wouldn't be able to see the difference.

Well, now I know it's an image.


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## GSquadron (Feb 18, 2013)

Difference between an image and a color is that the image will have an alt keyword, which can be indexed by the search engines.
The image is not optimized for CSS, but the color on the other hand is.


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## Frick (Feb 18, 2013)

OnePostWonder said:


> Implying what?



Nothing. Just saying.

OR AM I?


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## OnePostWonder (Feb 18, 2013)

Frick said:


> Nothing. Just saying.
> 
> OR AM I?



:shadedshu


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## Frick (Feb 19, 2013)

Another site, this slightly more noticable and almost headache-inducing:

http://coe.berkeley.edu/engnews/fall02/3S/polarbear.html


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## OnePostWonder (Feb 19, 2013)

Frick said:


> Another site, this slightly more noticable and almost headache-inducing:
> 
> http://coe.berkeley.edu/engnews/fall02/3S/polarbear.html



SLIGHTLY?

That background is indeed headache-inducing.


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## W1zzard (Feb 19, 2013)

that page is from 2003 .. back then people were proud of such designs


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## Frick (Feb 20, 2013)

Slightly related:

http://www.dokimos.org/ajff/

I don't think it's malicious, just ... yeah.


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## OnePostWonder (Feb 20, 2013)

Frick said:


> Slightly related:
> 
> http://www.dokimos.org/ajff/
> 
> I don't think it's malicious, just ... yeah.



1. Do I even want to know how you find these sites?

2.  At least they're progressive and accept a (color)spectrum of different sexualities.


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## GSquadron (Feb 20, 2013)

I don't know what you are searching for exactly, but here is what I call very good website design:
http://combadi.com
http://82nd-and-fifth.metmuseum.org/

And this is what I call exceptional website design:
http://secure.thameswater.co.uk/waterwisely/index.htm?waterwiselysurl
http://www.puma.com/

I know a lot more, but those are maybe the best


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## OnePostWonder (Feb 20, 2013)

Aleksander said:


> I don't know what you are searching for exactly, but here is what I call very good website design:
> http://combadi.com
> http://82nd-and-fifth.metmuseum.org/
> 
> ...



Those websites implement the latest standards very well.


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