I Can See Clearly Now
computing February 18th, 2008
Quick Monday morning tip for the squinty-eyed among us. This computing tip is Windows XP-specific. There’s a little-known setting in your Display Properties called ClearType that smoothes the edges of text on certain kinds of screens, especially LCD flat-panel monitors.
If you use Windows Vista, the setting is already turned on by default. If you use a Mac, consider passing this on to your Windows friends if you have any. You still love us, don’t you?
To turn the setting on:
1. Right-click an empty area of your Desktop.
2. Left-click Properties.
3. Click the Appearance tab.
4. Click the Effects button at the bottom right of the screen.
5. Be sure there’s a checkmark in the box next to Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts.
6. Change the option from Standard to ClearType, then click OK.
7. Click OK to exit Display Properties.
Does the text on my blog look better to you? If you don’t like it, change it back. If you do, share it with your squinty-eyed friends!
Stumble it!
February 18th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I think ClearType is just another Microsoft name for Anti-Aliasing.
You actually took a “picture” of your screen ?
Jaffer’s last blog post..The 123 Book Meme
February 18th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Cool, I didn’t know that existed. On my laptop it makes the screen font look more 3D, although with my eyes it’s not necessarily better or worse – just different. I’ll try it out for awhile and see how I like it. Thanks for the tip Kathy. Keep em coming!
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February 18th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Jaffer — That was just me being lazy! Couldn’t find another suitable picture that didn’t have strings attached.
Jeff — Some people actually don’t like this feature turned on. It can make some text appear 3D, as you suggested. For example, I don’t like how it makes my Desktop icons look, but that’s a small concession to make for how it improves web text for my eyes. It’s easy to turn off if anyone hates it. But definitely worth checking it out!
February 18th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I suppose the fact that this excited me only proves I’m old.
Momo Fali’s last blog post..Darn That Backwards Logic
February 18th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Thanks for the tip… I’ll try it out! It did “jumbo-size” my desktop icons though.
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February 18th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
For those who don’t like how turning on ClearType as suggested by Kathy, renders your fonts; you can try “ClearType Tuner” PowerToy for WindowsXP by Microsoft.
Once installed, you can then choose which text looks great among 6 choices provided.
You can download it here http://download.microsoft.com/download/b/7/0/b7019730-0fa3-47a9-a159-98b80c185aad/setup.exe
For more PowerToys check out: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
Jaffer’s last blog post..The 123 Book Meme
February 18th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
There is also a web page called cleartype that is a godsend. It allows you to chose the brightness or darkness and clarity from several paragraphs. This made a huge difference for me and I’ve been using it for years. It’s here: http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cleartype/tuner/Step1.aspx
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February 18th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Momo Fali — I’m right with ya. Believe me. It’s more and more of a struggle for me to read text online and small print on paper. Annoying!
darla — That’s weird about the icons. They should not change size. Maybe a reboot is in order?
Jaffer and windyridge — Thanks for providing those links. It’s another option for people, with greater flexibility, I see. Appreciate it!
February 18th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I thought – oh this sounds great. I’m going to do it.
Then I find mine is alread set for ClearType so this must mean my vision is a mess. Now I’m depressed.
oh well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, no pain, no gain.
February 18th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I just did it…but I don’t see a difference. Maybe that’s a good thing…maybe my eyes aren’t as bad as I thought they were!
DrowseyMonkey’s last blog post..Tattoo Implants … Eeesh
February 18th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
There’s no point offering tips to Mac users most of them don’t know that the Apple button (or it might be the control button) works as the right click on a two button mouse.
tfa’s last blog post..Another Conspiracy Theory Bites the Dust
February 18th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
If I still had XP, I’d try it out for sure. 🙂
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February 18th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
DC — Maybe just increase your screen text size. That’s another tip I wrote about (that my cat discovered). See: Shadow’s butt
DrowseyMonkey — Consider yourself lucky. I’ll be part of the squinty-eyed club for the rest of my life.
tfa — Well, all the Mac users have to do is tell their Windows friends. They can probably figure that out 🙂
StephanieC — Ah! But according to your blog, you’re a twenty-something gal, so your eyes are probably still perfect!
February 18th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
I’m like Momo Fali: I get ridiculously excited at tips like this. My laptop has Vista, but I tried it on my desktop. Cool! Thanks, Kathy!
JD’s last blog post..I Am Honored so you don’t have to be
February 18th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Wow Kathy, this entry was very geaky of you! I’m very proud of you. More geaky stuff pleaze.
@Jaffer: “You actually took a *picture* of your screen?” That was funny dewd. Like, ghetto funny.
Back to Kathy, try MWsnap. A nice freeware utility to take screen shots. Available here: http://www.mirekw.com/
It will come in handy when you rant about Internet stuff.
BigNerd’s last blog post..Vista Keyboard Shortcut
February 18th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
JD — I got excited, too, when I first heard about it. It improved things dramatically for me.
BigNerd — In my defense, I wanted a picture of a whole monitor, then I just thought, what the hell, the screen looks fine. Also in my defense, I’d had just one cup of coffee when I took it. Kathy needs more than that for the brain to function at full capacity!
You are way more geeky than me! Admit it. It’s OK 🙂
February 18th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
*a-hem.* That’s “geaky” with an A. And by the way, I don’t have anywhere NEAR the pictures to prove my geakiness as you have shown the minions here. So I deem thee more geaky.
BigNerd’s last blog post..Vista Keyboard Shortcut
February 18th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Big Nerd is just chicken which proves that Big Nerd is geekier!!
Kathy has worked through her geekiness and embraced it to offer it up to the world to admire.
Rattln Along’s last blog post..High Wire Act!!!
February 18th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Oh no Kathy,
I never, ever offer unsolicited computer advice to people. Do you know how many times a month I answer my phone and one of my neighbors is on the other end with a computer problem which absolutely has to be fixed immediately because their son’s/daughter’s report is due tomorrow and their internet-thingy does not work? I get bombarded with tech support questions at work and I am no longer in the IT department as I have moved up and people still find me. I cannot go to a party or family gathering without someone bringing me their laptop to look at or being dragged to a flimsy card table in the basement with an ancient desktop computer that’s “acting slow.” I hate fixing other peoples’ computers because the moment I touch it, I own the damn thing because every little thing that goes wrong with it after that has to be because of something I did because it NEVER did THAT before! So, you think I’d be foolish enough to gratuitously offer computer advice to people when I want them to leave me alone? AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! I don’t know how you’re so brave? Is it me? Am I so wrong? I have to go now. I have to finish my three part blog post downloading and installing Ubuntu Linux.
Mr. Grudge’s last blog post..You’re as Young as You Aren’t
February 19th, 2008 at 1:55 am
For the record… You’re blog looks perfect on my Windows XP laptop. So I won’t need to change my settings, but nice info. Also… I’ve tagged you with a little award… So please stop by and steal it. 🙂
Corrina’s last blog post..You Make My Day!
February 19th, 2008 at 6:06 am
BigNerd — I stand corrected! And, yeah, the pictures prove a lot of things, not the least of which is my geekiness. Touche!
Rattln Along — Hmmm, sounds like a challenge. You think BigNerd will ever post a picture of himself when he was 12?
Mr. Grudge — I. Feel. Your. Pain. People don’t always understand when I don’t want to even look at their ailing systems, much less touch them. As far as my bravery, it’s probably more like stupidity. I might be done with tips for a while. Unless they come from my cat. Those are always awesome. (See comment #13 above).
Corrina — Thanks for the “You made my day” award. You just made mine!
February 19th, 2008 at 7:21 am
>>>>>DC — Maybe just increase your screen text size. That’s another tip I wrote about (that my cat discovered). See: Shadow’s butt
I did check out Shadow’s butt…wait that didn’t sound right. Anyway – fantastic tip. Thanks
February 19th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Great tip Kathy, thank you!
Yes, it did make my screen fonts better to look at. And with MY aging eyes, I need all the help I can get!
Maureen’s last blog post..An Ice Day At The Mall
February 19th, 2008 at 9:29 am
There is no point offering tips to Mac users because we generally don’t need them. That’s the beauty of Apple!
Susan’s last blog post..Florida in February
February 19th, 2008 at 9:49 am
>>There is no point offering tips to Mac users because we generally don’t need them.
Uhmmm – so we get a hint of why windows-users find the attitude of apple-users somewhat tedious.
I’ve used apple and it is not the be-all end-all for all things computer. sorry.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:52 am
DC — I use Shadow’s tip many times a day. Her butt has not dispensed another tip since, sadly.
Maureen — Glad it helped you!
Susan — The good news is that not all my tips are OS-specific. For example, the Shadow’s Butt Tip is for either Windows or Mac users. Check it out. It’s awesome, considering it came from a cat!
Augusto — I hold myself responsible. I think I might have sounded smarmy when I suggested Mac users wouldn’t have any Windows friends. Poorly worded. My bad.
February 19th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I’m not sure if I like it or not. It’s hard to tell the difference.
Jean-Luc Picard’s last blog post..Ro Laren’s Blind Date (Part One)
February 19th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
That helped! I’m nearsighted as all heck. So thank you.
Shieldmaiden96’s last blog post..Chapter Eleventy, In Which We Examine My Ongoing Battles With Gravity
February 19th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I’m on Vista which defaults to the ClearType, but that doesn’t solve all the problems with my poor, tired, old eyes. I just went for my two-year eye exam and the good news was my eyes haven’t changed in two years. The bad news is that they haven’t changed to get better either. It wasn’t that long ago that I only needed my glasses when I got fatigued. Now they’re the first things I grab for when I wake up in the morning. Is that what 10 years of staring at a computer monitor does for you?
As far as helping other people with computer problems goes, I always start with a disclaimer. If the problem gets worse, comes back, or is replaced is with a new problem make sure you’ve got a cell phone handy to call someone besides me. Because they might care. I also remind them that they get what they pay for. And if they wan’t my free help they’ll probably get their money’s worth.
Lee’s last blog post..Sunday Scenery
February 19th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Jean-Luc Picard — Some people don’t like it, some people do. It’s a nice option if it works for you.
Shieldmaiden96 — Glad you’re one of the lucky ones it helped. I notice the improvement mostly on web pages. And I’m online so much, every little bit helps.
Lee — I’m in the same boat as you. My eyes aren’t getting any worse, according to my doc, but I sure feel like they’re getting worse. It really is the fatigue factor. I blame blogging for that. I’m online more hours of the day than before I started.
“And if they want my free help they’ll probably get their money’s worth.” BEAUTIFUL! Gotta remember that one.
February 20th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Oh yeah, I gave this tip a try, thanks. It does make a difference.
Natural Woman’s last blog post..Money Monday Tip #14
February 20th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Natural Woman — Glad it helped. The difference can be glaring to some (like me), or too subtle to notice for others. I’m glad you found it helpful!
February 21st, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Thanks for the tip.