I suggest giving a bit of color to the background of the discuss page. The currrent non color justs looks like it never got finished. Color is really important. I am no html guru, but anyway I added in the <style> attribute
body {
background-color: #cce6ff;
}
which gives a light blue sky background color
It needs other such as the logo bit doing too, but even with just that it feels nicer to read the page
Note that you can always style any website to your liking by using plugins like Stylish, Tampermonkey or the like.
I personally like the light theme, it’s the default discourse theme but works very well for me.
I am sure you can, but that is to apply a personal fix to something that is broken for everybody. My general point is that the site needs a bit of creative design input.
I wouldn’t mind a dark theme, but for a light theme the white background is the best, very clean.
I think it’s only broken for you. I think the white theme is very contemporary and looks professional. Sky blue background would be very 1995 
A dark theme would also be nice for tired eyes, but that very ‘hakerish’ in presentation.
black text on white background is fine in text boxes but as a main web page color it just look like it is unfinished. I notice it every time I use the site. I just think “Oh dear … what a drab site!”.
Anyway rant completed 
@skyscraper, I strongly disagree. What you are describing to me would be totally amateur and belongs in the 70’s. The white background is clean and contemporary. At the end of the day this is not a 1970’s disco this is a UAV informational site, the information should be presented in a clear and clean fashion. I believe this has been achieved.
I also believe that the guy’s/gal’s have done such a GREAT job and I for one am incredibly grateful for all of the hard work that went/goes into the site and Ardupilot.
Earlier this year my company spent a great deal of time and money in revamping our website, through that process we conducted studies on website format and customer retention. The information we got back was that a white background with dark to black text gave the reader a clear and defined experience and the customer was more likely to stay on the page. It also showed that the customers stayed on the page longer and retained more of the content opposed to a none white background. http://black-magic-design.com/index.html
To suggest that you would like to “fix something that is broken for everyone” is some what insulting to the guy’s/gal’s that have put in the hard work. And from the review of this thread, a position that is not shared by anyone but yourself.
Please feel free to change the presentation of the site for yourself but please don’t try and force your views on other members who may not agree. I personally would be very disappointed if the site digressed into 1970’s disco drop-out.
As Ludwig Mis Van der Rohe once said “Less is more.”
I agree. The clean background is more contemporary. A background color could look amateurish.
@skyscraper Thanks for the opinion, it’s welcome.
@Lat_Long Opinions are not insulting. We are not insulted by them. Please keep to factual points as possible (noting that color choices are very subjective topic)
And here’s a preview, for fun for SkyBlue Discourse
More themeing ideas at the meta.discourse.org https://meta.discourse.org/t/its-a-dark-theme/15662
In my view the contrast between the text and the background subtracts form the clarity. In my opinion it looks amateurish, the white is much more contemporary and much easier on the eye. This supports the studies that we conducted, a white background is easier on the eye and therefore the reader will stay longer through less effort required, equating to a more enjoyable experience.
From the posts in this thread, Shadow1runner, OXINARF and Marc_Dornan agree.
@billb
To me the color works well, especially with the Ardupilot logo, but shouldn’t be applied to the text in the threads. They should be as they are now
@Lat_Long
I agree about that text of the threads should be black on white, but not the whole page. In the SkyBlue discourse example note how the white part in the centre stands out now.
If the current black text on white background scheme was only applied to the text in the threads then those parts would stand out like that, which would help to focus on the most important purpose of the site . The color acts a bit like a picture frame.
@skyscraper
Ahhhh, I think there has been a misunderstanding here on my part. I was thinking that the whole page would change colour. Framing as you put it could look good. But as you agree the text area is much easier to read Black on White. Even having the boarder fade from text area White to boarder Blue might look good.
That would be blue sky for the flyers and tropical blue water for the ArduBoaters 
I just wanted to say, I think Bill found my original post a bit direct which was not my intention, and hope it has not caused offence. If it has I would offer my apologies sincerely.
A dark theme, or an option for it would be great. Those of us who stare at a screen all day tend to often prefer dark themes as they are much less strainy on the eyes.
