After updating ncurses to version 6.1 text looks somwehat dim

[Zbigniew]

Hello,

not sure is it a bug in ncurses or in applications I use rather.

Today updated my ncurses version to 6.1 and xterm to 344. I took them both
as packages from Slackware-current branch (along with installation scripts).

I noticed that attribute "DIM" works now (it wasn't working with ncurses 5.9).
At the same time I noticed - for example using mutt and mc applications -
that "normal" text now looks darker than before (looks like it had attribute
"dim" - or something in between "normal" and "dim" - set "on"(?) by default).
Checking some more I discovered, that one can set "default" text to normal
intensity, when after function initNcurses() immediately use_default_colors()
is called. Also noticed, that I was able to get normal intensity in mutt by
disabling setting "color normal white default" - therefore by _not_ setting
"color normal" pair at all (by preventing mutt messing with this setting at
all).

Actually not just "normal" text; for example: when I use "mc" everything
(including blue panels) now looks somewhat darker than before.

Xterm, mutt and mc I recompiled from sources to make sure they use ncurses 6.1.

I also noticed that the problem is somehow related to XTerm - while in
"linux" terminal - I mean "real console" - I don't notice this, say,
"regression" (but, at the same time, "DIM" attribute doesn't work with
"linux" terminal).

My question is: is it a bug in new ncurses version - or it is now a feature,
which should be addressed by mutt / mc / xterm (and probably other apps)
maintainers (or maybe something in Slackware's packages needs patching)?

Thanks in advance for any info
-- 
regards,
Zbigniew