Why Were Hyperlinks Chosen To Be Blue?
Have you ever wondered why hyperlinks on the internet are predominantly blue? There must be a reason behind this color choice, right? Well, it turns out that the decision to make hyperlinks blue was not arbitrary at all. Let's delve into the story behind it.
In 1985, a group of students at the University of Maryland , mentored by computer science professor Ben Shneiderman , conducted a series of experiments to study the impact of different hyperlink colors on user experience. They were eager to determine which color would be the most effective in terms of visibility and readability.
The experiments revealed interesting findings. While red highlighting made the links more noticeable, it negatively affected users' ability to read and comprehend the surrounding text. On the other hand, blue emerged as the clear winner. It was dark enough to be visible against a white background and light enough to stand out on a black background. Most importantly, it did not interfere with users' retention of the text's context.
During the late 1980s, user interface design for the internet became a hot topic. Developers were keen on identifying the most effective design elements and establishing standards. Shneiderman's research on hypertext design and related topics gained significant attention and was widely featured in journals and conferences.
The idea of using blue for hyperlinks gained popularity, and by the mid-1990s, it had been incorporated into influential software such as Tim Berners-Lee 's WorldWideWeb browser and Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina 's Mosaic browser. Microsoft , licensing the Mosaic browser to build Internet Explorer, also adopted blue hyperlinks as their default choice.
Today, the internet is diverse, and websites often display hyperlinks in colors that align with their branding, such as orange or green. However, some sources still recommend using blue hyperlinks for a specific reason: it is the color least affected by color blindness.
So, while the color of hyperlinks may vary across websites, the historical preference for blue originated from meticulous research conducted by Shneiderman and his students. This choice ensures optimal visibility and readability while taking into account accessibility for individuals with color blindness.
In 1985, a group of students at the University of Maryland , mentored by computer science professor Ben Shneiderman , conducted a series of experiments to study the impact of different hyperlink colors on user experience. They were eager to determine which color would be the most effective in terms of visibility and readability.
The experiments revealed interesting findings. While red highlighting made the links more noticeable, it negatively affected users' ability to read and comprehend the surrounding text. On the other hand, blue emerged as the clear winner. It was dark enough to be visible against a white background and light enough to stand out on a black background. Most importantly, it did not interfere with users' retention of the text's context.
During the late 1980s, user interface design for the internet became a hot topic. Developers were keen on identifying the most effective design elements and establishing standards. Shneiderman's research on hypertext design and related topics gained significant attention and was widely featured in journals and conferences.
The idea of using blue for hyperlinks gained popularity, and by the mid-1990s, it had been incorporated into influential software such as Tim Berners-Lee 's WorldWideWeb browser and Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina 's Mosaic browser. Microsoft , licensing the Mosaic browser to build Internet Explorer, also adopted blue hyperlinks as their default choice.
Today, the internet is diverse, and websites often display hyperlinks in colors that align with their branding, such as orange or green. However, some sources still recommend using blue hyperlinks for a specific reason: it is the color least affected by color blindness.
So, while the color of hyperlinks may vary across websites, the historical preference for blue originated from meticulous research conducted by Shneiderman and his students. This choice ensures optimal visibility and readability while taking into account accessibility for individuals with color blindness.
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