Is gray text evil?

MediaSavvy Looks a little different today. I’ve been using Moveable Type’s Plain Jane template with a few modifications. I really like the way it look. However, I began to realize that it gets some of its good looks by making text gray, instead of black.
I’ve been noticing more and more gray-text sites lately and it appears to be a mini-trend, even among those who don’t use MT. Poynter’s new site is the latest example.
Unfortunately, this design gets a lot of its power from reducing text to a gray block–just another design element instead of something to read. I’ve decided to strike a blow for contrast and change the color of the blog body from #666 (coincidence?) to #000.
It’s not quite as beautiful, but it’s a lot more readable

5 thoughts on “Is gray text evil?

  1. personally, I don’t like the grey… causes eye strain… anything that makes it harder for people to read can’t be a good thing… pretty design isn’t always the same thing as useable design.
    just my thoughts 😉

  2. Now you’re toying with us. Nice readable body text, but then non-black navigation links, and gray subtitles. Gray subtitles?? Why de-emphasize your headings, the things you want to stand out on the page?

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