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How to enable ClearType in Windows XP
I was playing about with my desktop settings earlier this week, and I happened across the Effects... setting within Appearance in the Desktop Properties dialog.
Now I'm pretty certain that I have been in there many times before but had never noticed the ClearType option. So I tried it out finding all my text being nicely anti-aliased in Windows, just like it does in the various installations of Linux I've tried. It looks just so much better.
You can see the stylings in the following step-by-step instructions (not many instructions mind).
1. Right-click on your Desktop, and Left-click the Properties option.
2. Left-click the Appearance tab, and left-click the Effects... button.
3. Ensure that 'Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts:' is enabled, Left-click on the dropdown listbox below it, then left-click on the ClearType option.
4. Left-click 0K, and then left-click the OK button in the Display Properties dialog, and Windows will do it's funky stuff.
Not sure whether ClearType was recently introduced to XP, or has been there all along.
Now I'm pretty certain that I have been in there many times before but had never noticed the ClearType option. So I tried it out finding all my text being nicely anti-aliased in Windows, just like it does in the various installations of Linux I've tried. It looks just so much better.
You can see the stylings in the following step-by-step instructions (not many instructions mind).
1. Right-click on your Desktop, and Left-click the Properties option.
2. Left-click the Appearance tab, and left-click the Effects... button.
3. Ensure that 'Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts:' is enabled, Left-click on the dropdown listbox below it, then left-click on the ClearType option.
4. Left-click 0K, and then left-click the OK button in the Display Properties dialog, and Windows will do it's funky stuff.
Not sure whether ClearType was recently introduced to XP, or has been there all along.
- This post has 21 comments, the last was posted by 4000MilesAway on Wed 5 Apr 2006 at 2:58pm GMT
Comments
That is so great. I am mostly blind and this makes a big difference in how I see the text. Thanks Ak I owe you big time. Gods now I can see the crap I post :D But get this Angus says "Oh yes, clear type have been around since Win 98" Bastard, did he ever tell me? Noooooooo just leave me with my nose pressed to the moniter :P
It's been there forever. I never understood when seeing others screenshots why they weren't using.
And of course you were just to damn polite to ask why we weren't using it. Thanks a bunch, Thermopile :D
I had that on my old PC ME install but forgot how I had done it.
Yep. Been there forever and have been using it since first installed XP. Does make quite a big difference to the old peepers...
Not an entirely useless post then, glad it is of use to you Lyric. I seldom provide life-changing advice, but when I do...
Are you sure it's been around since Win98, Angus? I'm not so sure it was, as I don't remember seeing it in Win2K either.
I convinced myself it was part of SP2.
Are you sure it's been around since Win98, Angus? I'm not so sure it was, as I don't remember seeing it in Win2K either.
I convinced myself it was part of SP2.
Not really no. :D That was just my way of saying it's been around fo ages.
I'm not convinced it wasn't around in 98 mind you as I can't remember not using it. But It's a long time since I had 98 so I couldn't really say.
I like very much the nix versions but i think Cleartype is actually superior, just.
I'm not convinced it wasn't around in 98 mind you as I can't remember not using it. But It's a long time since I had 98 so I couldn't really say.
I like very much the nix versions but i think Cleartype is actually superior, just.
Him did a quick search and best I could find quickly was this -
http://www.swfpcug.org/faq/windows_98.htm#clear
So if it's right there was no cleartype but something of a similar nidea in exactly the same place.
http://www.swfpcug.org/faq/windows_98.htm#clear
So if it's right there was no cleartype but something of a similar nidea in exactly the same place.
was definitely there before SP2
Welcome to the 18th Century.
I believe GRC.com had some interesting things to say about subpixel rendering during the BETA of XP which was where it first came into being(on Windows at least). There were however patches that add this functionality after its introduction on XP to previous versions, and some video card manufacturers (nVidia) provide(ed) extensions to similar technologies.
http://grc.com/cleartype.htm
I believe GRC.com had some interesting things to say about subpixel rendering during the BETA of XP which was where it first came into being(on Windows at least). There were however patches that add this functionality after its introduction on XP to previous versions, and some video card manufacturers (nVidia) provide(ed) extensions to similar technologies.
http://grc.com/cleartype.htm
Good ole 4K has the answers again, mind Angus had some good answers too.
But then, if ClearType is used as much as it seems to be, why is not switched on by default? And then, why is it hidden away like that? Doesn't seem to have been widely publicised either, well I haven't heard shit about it.
But then, if ClearType is used as much as it seems to be, why is not switched on by default? And then, why is it hidden away like that? Doesn't seem to have been widely publicised either, well I haven't heard shit about it.
I dunno what the microsoft policy is on it Ahd but it certainly used to be that they pushed it as a feature for LCD or possibly LSD users. Giving the message that it may even be detrimental to CRT folks. But that just (For me.) has never been the case it's allways been an improvement on any screen format.
Completely agree is should be on by default. In fact it shouldn't be an option unbless you want to go edit some file or some shit.
Yes good GRC pagyness! Didn't know video cards did it either.
Completely agree is should be on by default. In fact it shouldn't be an option unbless you want to go edit some file or some shit.
Yes good GRC pagyness! Didn't know video cards did it either.
Testing tagyness <abbr title="Tag title">TAG</abbr>
So does this prove the test a success or failure?
I used to set this option when installing XP for people, but many complained about how blurred the text was. People are insane. Because they can't see the jaggy edges, it's somehow blurred. Freaks.
QUESTIONS, Questions, questions:
Did you ever look at a wordsmith site, or my wordsmith site?
If you don't like the idea, did you investigate the ability for users to create blog posts? Regarding Word smith, it's highly configurable, & you can allow anonymous users to comment - if you want.
Did you ever look at "Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth"?
Did you ever look at a wordsmith site, or my wordsmith site?
If you don't like the idea, did you investigate the ability for users to create blog posts? Regarding Word smith, it's highly configurable, & you can allow anonymous users to comment - if you want.
Did you ever look at "Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth"?
Re: Success or failure.
Neither really. I just thought it would be nice if it worked because of all the LSD PSP RIAA whatever stuff in the previous post. Didn't really think it would since there's no html allowed for anything else.
Wordsmith 4k or Wordpress? Most stuff does allow multiple authors I think but if ahd stops using his custom creation we don't get to laugh when he breaks it now and then. Wouldn't hat would be a pity?
Anyhow if you do go and install some cms/blog/thing go open source because, not only is it a lovely concept but I'm cheap, so should you be.
Neither really. I just thought it would be nice if it worked because of all the LSD PSP RIAA whatever stuff in the previous post. Didn't really think it would since there's no html allowed for anything else.
Wordsmith 4k or Wordpress? Most stuff does allow multiple authors I think but if ahd stops using his custom creation we don't get to laugh when he breaks it now and then. Wouldn't hat would be a pity?
Anyhow if you do go and install some cms/blog/thing go open source because, not only is it a lovely concept but I'm cheap, so should you be.
1. No.
2. I didn't know you had a wordsmith blog.
3. Angus has a good point.
4. Call of the Cthulhu? The desktop RPG, or some modern desktop equivalent?
5. This should be this last point.
I don't want to install some software, you know what happens, I lose interest. Whereas when I write my own software, I lose interest. Oh what is a web developer to do? OMG who is hosting Never The Mind Buzzcocks?! They're doing a Have I Got News For You to all my favourite hosts! Bastard BBC. I told em not to go with MyBBCPlayer, drop the "My" I said! Drop the damn immature "My"!
2. I didn't know you had a wordsmith blog.
3. Angus has a good point.
4. Call of the Cthulhu? The desktop RPG, or some modern desktop equivalent?
5. This should be this last point.
I don't want to install some software, you know what happens, I lose interest. Whereas when I write my own software, I lose interest. Oh what is a web developer to do? OMG who is hosting Never The Mind Buzzcocks?! They're doing a Have I Got News For You to all my favourite hosts! Bastard BBC. I told em not to go with MyBBCPlayer, drop the "My" I said! Drop the damn immature "My"!
blog.marsden.nu don't expect anything flash, it was just a test. If you need more access I'll upgrade you after you sign up, unless you just want to comment.
http://www.callofcthulhu.com/ Its pretty cool. Its part action part adventure, similar to Alone in the dark, mixed with quake & HP Lovecraft.
Regarding broke stuff, there's something wrong with this blog post now, it's about an inch wide. Amusing yes?
Would be nice if you went that way, but if you don't make a feature that allows us to see all the shit we haven't yet seen, or to list threads that we have posted to, and others have since posed replies. Gt\ets hard to remember all the places I've posted. I'm gettin' old too.
http://www.callofcthulhu.com/ Its pretty cool. Its part action part adventure, similar to Alone in the dark, mixed with quake & HP Lovecraft.
Regarding broke stuff, there's something wrong with this blog post now, it's about an inch wide. Amusing yes?
Would be nice if you went that way, but if you don't make a feature that allows us to see all the shit we haven't yet seen, or to list threads that we have posted to, and others have since posed replies. Gt\ets hard to remember all the places I've posted. I'm gettin' old too.
I expected little, and got even less! At least I managed to leave an off topic comment. :)
Still have looked at the CotC link. I will after posting this.
What do you mean, it's an inch wide? Are you viewing with a three inch screen? I'll be eliminating the right hand column during the next site update, so you should get an extra 1/2 inch to play with.
Yes, yes all that extra stuff may well go that way, but knowing me, by that time, blogging will have fallen out of fashion, like links pages, news pages, forums, and guestbooks.
Still have looked at the CotC link. I will after posting this.
What do you mean, it's an inch wide? Are you viewing with a three inch screen? I'll be eliminating the right hand column during the next site update, so you should get an extra 1/2 inch to play with.
Yes, yes all that extra stuff may well go that way, but knowing me, by that time, blogging will have fallen out of fashion, like links pages, news pages, forums, and guestbooks.
Something feels different in here. You're probably right about the fashion of blogging. The word is somewhat crass, has the feel of a moron who doesn't know shit about shit.
As replied to in my post, naw I could do, but WordPress is working correctly.
For some reason, in a bland moment I read your bloogy at work, and the tect collumn was 1" wide - even after a refresh and post.. seems ok now.
As replied to in my post, naw I could do, but WordPress is working correctly.
For some reason, in a bland moment I read your bloogy at work, and the tect collumn was 1" wide - even after a refresh and post.. seems ok now.
