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For our tree-hugging, non-essential-light-extinguishing, green-bulb-using readers out there, now there's a new way to Google yourself and save energy at the same time. Well, it's new to us, anyway, and much easier on the eyes than the stark white background that we're repeatedly subjected to on the web.
Australia's Heap Media created Blackle™, a Google-powered search engine that provides Internet users with an environmentally-friendly alternative to search engines that use an energy-hogging white background.
Apparently, having a black background saves a butt load of energy. You can read all about the science behind it here.
For those of us dorks who have to wear reading glasses in front of the computer these days, every little bit counts. The people behind Blackle™ also hope that you're an "every little bit counts" kind of person. By setting Blackle™ as your homepage, you will not only be saving a tad bit of energy for that split second before you open SFist. You will be reminding yourself to change some of your daily environmentally-unfriendly habits.
We don't know about all that. But we can at least give it a try.
Image: Heap Media
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Blackle made the rounds several months ago, and it turned out to be a slick way for Heap Media to make money from the Google AdWords campaign running on their search results page. With the advent of LCDs, containing a backlight which is always on, there is no energy savings between black screen and a white screen.
On CRT monitors, there is a small difference in power consumption, but for those of us using LCDs, Blackle is pointless.
In addition, Blackle offers none of the search parameter functions that Google does, and tends to strain your eyes during usage.
This is true. Blackle may be easy on your eyes, but unless your office is in the same shape MUNI's is in, Blackle won't save much energy.
Good grief. This is like claiming that squashing a few ants will lead to the species' extinction.
But points for aesthetic appeal.
Google has a little more information on the black screen idea on the page they set up for Lights Out SF, google.com/lightsoutsf, though Jonathan has already gotten the gist of it.
There are around 25 different versions of “black google” online. The best one I’ve found is www.cleanblack.com. Cleanblack is the only version that allows you to change the text colors of the google search results. Try it yourself by going to www.cleanblack.com/theme/