Re: color in CSS

Thanks, Sue Sims and others for your comments. My point was merely to suggest
we all need for CSS, HTML, etc:

1.	A standard method to give names to colors for ease of use, individually or
in a color list.
2.	More standard color names and supported color models (CMYK, HLS).
3.	Parameters for: (didn't have this in my prev. post)
	1.	Tints (x% of a base color)
	2.	Shades (100% of a base color + x% Black; note: *subtract* Black% if in
RGB)
	3.	Overprint (true) vs. Knockout (false)
	4.	Process (true) vs. spot color (false)
	5.	Transparency

Issues of syntax are details that can be worked out.

CMYK *is* chiefly used for printed matter. Many graphics folks are already
familiar with CMYK. Often, current programs use some complex mumbo-jumbo to
convert RGB to/from CMYK or HLS in an attempt to synchronize print and screen
color, such that converting there and back again can cause the definition to
"travel." The old pre-sync method was to say CMYK(t%, u%, v%, 0%) = RGB(100% -
t%, 100% - u%, 100% - v%).

Another useful URL is Ian Graham's HTML Sourcebook 4th Ed., Wiley Press. (I
have the 2nd ed.) See Appendix F for three tables giving HTML, CSS, and
Netscape standard colors. The URL:

http://www.wiley.com/compbooks/graham/html4ed/contents.html

IMHO, some of the Netscape color name-value pairs are a bit odd -- notably
Brown (it's more a red) and NavajoWhite (odd name and value) -- but hey,
they're there to be used! Unfortunate that the Netscape colors are not
supported by all browsers, since the colors are not W3C-official. Netscape
isn't alone in that. Blue=#0000FF and Navy=#000080 are actually more purple or
violet in print, and calling it "Blue" is standard industry-wide for on-screen
and in-print.

To me, standard color names should be short and fairly obvious. That is, most
people who see them would agree that is the color. Unlike the long,
"LightGoldenrodYellow" ;-). My apologies to the Netscape folks. I don't intend
to pick on them: they are helping, not hindering, the web.

Received on Tuesday, 1 December 1998 12:24:54 UTC