Author colours during a conversation

It just occurred to me that it might be easy to change the colours according to author, making it easier to visually tie together related conversations. This could be done in a plugin but would likely need infrastructure support.

-- MartinCleaver - 21 Oct 2005

Example, all names fictitous

An entry by MC, the system selects the first colour in the palette, blue

-- MC - 21 Oct 2005

AK responds, next colour, green

-- AK - 21 Oct 2005

Something by a new person, so next colour, red

-- AC - 21 Oct 2005

A Comment by MC again, so blue

-- MC - 21 Oct 2005

All AK's comments are green

-- AK - 21 Oct 2005

etc.

One technique I've seen: instead of assigning colours based on the order in a single topic, hash the usernames to colours so that the users always get the same colour. I find it much easier to keep track of who is talking when people have consistent colours. (I have a plugin for ChatZilla to do this)

-- SamHasler - 22 Oct 2005

Its a great idea, in the small. The colours need to be distinct and not garish. BUt it doens't scale. One you get ... maybe a dozen people, you need so many colours that differentiating between some of them becomes difficult. Perhaps some are so faint that they blend out.

I takes code and it will need customising at some sites becuase they may have a different background.

A plugin, perhasp? The details would have to be worked out to address problems such as the ones I mentioned above.

-- AntonAylward - 24 Oct 2005