Could it be that the new colors are even more odious than the old colors? If you’d rather see the old colors and you have modern browser do something like View->stylesheets->dark (That’s in Galeon, but it’s probably something similar in other things).
Speaking of which: Now I’m not one to dog someones software choices (well, unless it’s pine), but if you’re still using Netscape 4 you are a Luddite malcontent with a masochistic streak. Get a nice gopher browser and you can really wallow in self-pity.
Bitter? Me?