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The purpose of dark mode is simply to reduce eye strain when used in low light conditions.
If you are in a well lit room, then light mode is more likely to be preferred. But it a darker room, a bright screen can start to get uncomfortable fast, and I can only assume will have long term affects too.
You may ask, who works in a dark room?? Well, probably not many. But with all the mobile devices being used for so much non-work related stuff these days, a lot of people are using Windows in bed where it is darker.
Ultimately, it is a usability feature. Although no doubt some people will use it just out of preference.
I prefer light mode myself, I don't use Windows in bed. If I am on my Android phone in a dark room, I just turn down the screen brightness to reduce strain.
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TBO, I've never even tried dark mode. I've been on light mode for 22+ years...it would probably be a shock to the eyes! 
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
"Hope is contagious"
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DarkMode : Solid UseCase
Here's the one case I really like DarkMode:
I wrote a Garage Door opener app for my Android Phone.
At night I would pull it up (from my phone on my car dashboard) and it would blind me.
I altered the UI so it would use DarkMode and I'm very much happier now.
EDIT - 2nd Solid Use Case
I remembered this one after I posted.
I read on my iPad or Kindle Fire at night.
It's very nice if your reading on the browser and it has a DarkMode setting, because reading in a dark room with light mode is blinding (and may waken herself).
Also, Kindle Reader (app) has had darkmode for a long time (white text on black background)and is necessary for night time reading.
However, mostly, it has just taken off with "those darn kids". 
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All those dark side advocates annoys me... But they make a lot of noise...
At any rate I suspect the main reason Microsoft is pushing dark mode is that, I believe - it's not a given, that it uses less energy with some display types. Hence could offer longer battery life.
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Studies have shown, most people who prefer dark mode, simply have their screen brightness set way too high (or code in dark rooms, which is quite as unhealthy for your eyes) so the dark mode craze is somewhat overblown. I personally agree with studies showing more favorable-for-reading contrast with dark text on light background... But there's always people for whom it is genuinely more pleasant.
I think it's kind of a big deal, because mobile systems have been doing it for basically forever and there is a number of people preferring it.
My personal take on it, with Windows offering generally more, erm, streamlined (so less flexible-if-one-is-really-into-customization) I like it. I personally prefer things otherwise light, but the task & title bars dark (so app mode light, system mode dark) so they'll kinda blend in the background with my monitor & overall not-too-bright room atmosphere, allowing for better concentration on the task at hand (while remaining accessible if needed).
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Dark mode can save energy and pixel life on OLED screens.
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My eyes have used to light mode ever since Windows 3.1. It was never a problem to me. I too find the existence of 'dark mode' weird. I have never used it on PC. Aren't we supposed to work in a light environment? It's useful on mobile, when I playing with my smartphone before bed.
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The "dark" vs "light" debate is silly - use what works for you. Personally, a bright screen (mostly white, with dark text) kind of "overwhelms" me. I prefer darker outputs, find it easier to read and interact with, so I go dark all the way (including using DarkReader for Firefox, dark themes for JetBrains IDEs, dark editor themes, etc)
------------------------------------------------
If you say that getting the money
is the most important thing
You will spend your life
completely wasting your time
You will be doing things
you don't like doing
In order to go on living
That is, to go on doing things
you don't like doing
Which is stupid.
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I had cataracts and, after surgery, secondary cataracts - recent laser surgery corrected.
I simply could not read anything with a white background without getting really close to the screen.
It was worst on web sites that use a light gray font color on white - and it's amazing how many do.
The Ease of Access (Accessibility) settings on Windows have never been perfect. High contrast simply did not work for me.
Dark mode, however, was a nice in-between and allowed me to work.
Cheers,
Mike Fidler
"I intend to live forever - so far, so good." Steven Wright
"I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met." Also Steven Wright
"I'm addicted to placebos. I could quit, but it wouldn't matter." Steven Wright yet again.
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Really like dark mode because it is easier on the eyes. The first time I tried it they were like, "ahhhhh, thank you." I work generally in a darker room environment which could be part of the preference. I didn't know we were "not supposed to" work in a darker environment. I like it. Hmm, dark room and dark monitors. ...maybe contributing to potential SAD-like symptoms in the winter months?
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Dark mode saves power on most devices. In theory it also reduces eye strain, but the reality is that it's far more difficult to get colors to pop on a dark canvas so it generally increases eye strain unless the entire color scheme falls into the garish range with bright, clashing colors.
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I suspect this change was motivated by programmers. It was visible in their Visual Studio sooner (to me). I think that a lot of programmers like to use darkmode because it can make the different colours pop a little more making it easier to read their code. Plus a lot of us older school programmers used to program with monochrome monitors so we are pretty used to something like that already.
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There seems to be many advocates for light mode so I would speak up in support of dark mode. 
I use dark mode and was really happy when Windows 10 offered a dark mode. My screen brightness is set low. I've always used dark mode when its available.
In my work place (when we were on-site), the lighting is very low - it seems to be the preference of the majority of the developers here and dark mode works better in those conditions.
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Dark, dark, dark mode - as long as it's done properly!
Cheers,
Vikram.
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Light mode. I lost my right eye last fall and my left eye has problems with contrast, especially light text on a dark background. I've never been able to use applications that were dark mode only, like Expression Blend. I even have trouble with apps that have gone Modern™ with monochrome solid color icons. If the icons are small (I'm squinting at you, Visual Studio 2015 and 2017), it's very difficult to tell them apart.
Software Zen: delete this;
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whereas dark vs light is a user choice, the real question is why MS have made it such a PITA for a old school win32 desktop program to show in dark colors. New controls work with hacks and old controls, just forget about it.
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Some people find dark mode easier to read. Just from an accessibility standpoint, that's enough reason.
But the other reason is that emissive display technologies like OLED only burn power for light pixels, so dark mode saves battery life.
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Hi,
I used to use dark mode to help with my near blindness. Now that my blindness is total I fell like the best mode is light because if I am correct there are driver transistors or chips using power to twist the crystals in fact all the non char generation ones fully to make black and mostly to dark. Is this right? Using power to twist crystals seems a waist? I would love to teach my Lenovo Thinkpad to turn off the backlight and all display driving when the lid is closed. I keep it closed all the time unless I have to show a sighted person something.
Good question and anticipating the comments to com. thanks.
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Dark mode has better contrast, and is more confortable to use.
But that depends on you setup really, not every dark mode is optimal. Some seem to be made by UI designers, some seem to be just color inversion.
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Some of us are so blinded by our own light we need to a dimmer screen.
«The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled» Plutarch
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I prefer the look of dark mode, but found after a while that I just can't focus as well on it. I think part of it is that light mode provide enough light to cause the pupils to contract, which does actually make it easier to focus for those of us with aging eyes.
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The girl in the middle of the tennis court is Annette.
The less you need, the more you have.
Why is there a "Highway to Hell" and only a "Stairway to Heaven"? A prediction of the expected traffic load?
JaxCoder.com
modified 20-Jul-21 8:37am.
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You've broken the "latest jokes" alignment with your typo!
I hope you're happy with yourself...
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That was just for practice, now I can go on to the main objective.
The less you need, the more you have.
Why is there a "Highway to Hell" and only a "Stairway to Heaven"? A prediction of the expected traffic load?
JaxCoder.com
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I bet she's having a Ball!
toodles
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