The color that things should be

[tongodeon]

The interaction between surfaces and the light they emit can be very complicated, but a decent abstraction for most surfaces is to define two types of reflected light: diffuse and specular. Diffuse light is light that is scattered evenly by the object. Take a piece of cardboard and hold it facing the light. See how it's bright? Hold it

Comments

[mskala]

I think you mean "a black shiny object like an eight ball." Cue balls tend to be white.

[mskala]

Trust a bald man to know that reference...

[tongodeon]

The black model is even worse than the white one in showing my oily fingerprints.

I forgot about this factor. Oiling up a surface fills in the rough surfaces and adds specular. White is a better surface for hiding uneven spec, which means white is a better surface if something's going to be shiny and oily.

[wisn]

Wouldn't a utilitarian not care what the surface looks like, as long as the surface is not damaged to the extent of impairing function or causing premature aging?

[tongodeon]

The utilitarian would want to keep it looking good so as to sell it at a higher price when something better comes along.

[mmcirvin]

I thought a utilitarian wouldn't own a computer in the first place, having given all his income not needed for baseline survival to starving people in Africa since the declining marginal utility of money means that the total utility of humanity is thereby increased the most.

Or maybe that's just a Peter Singer-type utilitarian.

[giantlaser]

It's not that yanners is ignoring you. It's just that we monopolize her social time. :)

But I'll totally send a guilt trip her way on your behalf.

[dataghost13]

Utilitarian? I didn't even know you were religious! Hehehe...