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Save your eyes, start using f.lux

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Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#131
Summary of feature requests so far: - default to a slower transition - support dimming too - Add an API - Sunset is fine, except in the winter

Most of these are on our list but it is all good feedback!

Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#132
post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

f.lux does look wrong in a blue-rich lighting environment (like an office building after dark.) It looks ok in most people's homes.

Might there be a way to sample white balance throughout the day to calibrate it using a webcam and a white sheet of paper? I'd probably start using it again if I could avoid fine tuning color temperatures manually.

Yes we have three implementations of this, and they mostly work but only some of the time :)

Problems: in a lot of dim rooms, the monitor is the main light source, and some webcams have terrible auto white balance. If you're on a Logitech camera it's totally easy, and if you're on a cheap netbook, it's awful. Still, you can solve all that, and we probably will ship a version of this soon.

Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#133
In my opinion, it really depends on the brightness of your monitor(s).

My iMac screen is rated at 350 nits, a.k.a. super-bright, so when Flux kicks in, I don't mind it if I'm working on that screen.

On the other hand, my 2nd monitor is an el-cheapo Samsung I bought before I cared what "nits" meant, and is rated at 250 nits -- a significant difference.

My typical workspace at night is, left screen (iMac) holds the browser where I view changes, and the right screen (Samsung) has my code editor.

So when f.lux kicks in... my options are one of two things: - disable it - buy a new monitor

Guess which one I go for?

Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#134
post #79

Surprised nobody brings up the line in the footer, which seems pretty important: > F.lux is patent pending. So they're applying for software patents on this so-far-free piece of software that has an open-source linux equivalent?

You can't remove yourself from the patent world if you're a company, no matter how much you might hate it. You as much get a patent to protect yourself as you get a patent for any other reason. It is a universally sound business strategy to protect your way of doing business, as the world is currently structured.

Secondly, a method for easing eye strain on long-term monitor viewers by changing the light frequency of the monitor gradually sounds like a great patent (I don't remember literally exactly what f.lux does, but it's something like that, right?).

Thirdly, software patents don't technically exist, and I know it may sound nitpicky to mention that, but from the phrasing you've used (open-source linux equivalent) it seems you think they're patenting the literal software, when in reality they're patenting the method. You can't patent software code itself. For at least a little while longer, we're living under a 'first-to-invent' system of patenting (until March 16th) so even if the linux equivalent exists, as long as f.lux can prove it's method was invented before the linux one was (and it was), they still have their claim.

Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#135
post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why not?

Not sure if that's sarcastic or trolling or not. In the event that it's earnest, software patents are relatively frowned upon by most non-corporate entities: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patent_debate

Using patents is frowned on.

Given the existing system, it's silly not to participate. It's not a case where a boycott would help, and by holding the patent you ensure that no one else uses it against you.

Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#136
This severely affects the emotionality of information I receive. The aesthetics of one's environment, I believe, is significant to how information will be processed. At first I noticed headaches after reading, using f.lux, but soon after I realized that the sensation was a placebo. What I believe was going on is that my brain was adjusting to the emotional information packed into the content I was reading; a more significant emotional bond was being established between myself and "mere content" not dissimilar to spending too much time with a friend at the café.

Over time, your endurance for it increases, and reading becomes more of an emotional activity, unwittingly.

Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#137
post #125

This thing gets a lot of love by a bunch of folks here, so I gave it a good half year of trying. But it's just too annoying. Around 5pm, your display turns pinkish orange and it becomes a lot harder to see anything. Code gets harder to read, colors display wrong, video just fades to black. None of the advertised happiness ensues. The second half-year it remained installed, my only interaction with it was to notice it…

(author of f.lux here) Color adaptation actually takes about 2 minutes, and we transition by default in 20 seconds (some video cards use a ton of CPU during the transition time, so we pushed it a bit faster.) The slow transition option should help some people. Also a badly-calibrated monitor can give a very undesirable result color-wise, but a white page should look like your room lighting if we do things right.

I wish there was something in between 20s and 60m. When I'm doing image editing, I don't want f.lux messing with colors, but I might not notice if I have it on 60m.... 2m would be better for me than 20s.

Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#138

Does anyone else notice the slight display lag that f.lux exhibits? On my mac it's just the slightest bit annoying, and I had to get rid of it. Otherwise I'd love to use it. Maybe I'll try redshift.

f.lux caused my mouse to randomly jump on OS X. It didn't seem to matter how fast I'd move it, every 10s or so it would jump 1" in the direction I was moving. Really, really annoying.

Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#139
post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, you can use f.lux too. I prefer redshift because of its CLI nature.

Does anyone else here use f.lux on Linux? I installed the Ubuntu version but not only does the "pause/unpause" option sometimes do nothing at all but other times it simply forgets to change the colors.

Tried it 2 or so years ago, had same issues mentioned by others, discovered redshift, been working perfectly since. Maybe flux is good now too, don't know.

Re: Save your eyes, start using f.lux

#140
I've tried f.lux and while it's great for ios devices(if jailbroken), the colors seem to come out weird in most situations.

What I use now is a Chrome extension called "Hacker Vision" and I highly recommend it to anyone reading this. It flips the colors of websites so you get a white text on a dark background. It's really great in a dark room or sitting next to someone at night AND I can turn my MacBook Air's backlight down to 2 and read everything clearly; that resulted in an extra 30-40minutes of battery life!

Here's the link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hacker-vision/fomm...

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