**The Problem**

My husband and I build productivity tools, which means we spend our entire days designing, coding, and managing every part of our business on our computers. By the early evening, our eyes would always get incredibly tired.

We tried things like f.lux or Night Shift, but we were never fans of how they just turn everything a bit too orange. Plus, they don't actually fix the harsh, glowing glare of a modern screen which is what mainly causes this screen fatigue.  
  
What we actually wanted was a softer surface. Something that feels more like reading a physical book or an e-ink display.

**The Solution**

To solve this, we looked at how vision actually works in the real world. Human eyes evolved to process reflected light, like sunlight bouncing off a physical object, rather than emitted light blasting directly into our retinas.

To mimic that natural feeling, we built Paperman. It is a lightweight utility that floats an invisible paper texture over your Mac's screen. 

By using fractal noise to create a subtle matte finish, it diffuses highlights and lowers contrast. It genuinely makes your screen feel much more like looking at reflected light on a physical book or an e-ink display.

What it does:

* ⁠Runs quietly in the background using less than 5MB of memory.
* Currently has 2 textures: *Classic Matte* and *Whisper Weave*, we're already working on the next one! 
* ⁠Features adjustable texture opacity so you can dial in your personal comfort level.
* Option to add excluded apps which automatically disables the texture when used (for apps like Photoshop or games).
* Uses built-in scheduling to handle transitions automatically throughout your day.

**Comparison**

When we tried alternatives like f.lux and Apple's Night Shift, we found they simply shifted the screen's color temperature to warmer orange hues. They didn't actually address the harsh backlight or glossy glare. Paperman physically softens the screen surface with a texture instead of just altering the tint. This reduces eye strain and diffuses contrast without completely ruining your color accuracy the way heavy blue-light filters do.

**Pricing**

Early-bird price at $5.99 for a lifetime license.

[paperman.cc](http://paperman.cc)

Make your screen feel like paper with Paperman