Text on Mac vs Windows

Discussion in 'Mac Basics and Help' started by lugesm, Apr 18, 2008.

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  1. lugesm, Apr 18, 2008

    lugesm macrumors 6502a

    lugesm

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2007
    #1
    After 15 years on Windows I switched over to an iMac 24" machine late last year.

    In general, I am very pleased with the Mac; but I find one thing about the Mac distracting and troublesome: The text as rendered on a good monitor is fuzzy on the Mac, whereas it is sharp and crisp on my Windows machines. And, this effect is monitor-independent. I have connected our Mac-Mini with a digital cable to an excellent 22" HP monitor and to an equally good Sony 17" monitor. Both of these monitors and the iMac screen produce easy-to-read text, but is is somewhat blurred, as compared to all of the Windows machines I have used. Windows screen text appears almost as sharp as laser printer output.

    By the way, I have run all of these comparisons at the monitors' native resolutions which should give the best results.

    Does anyone else observe this? Or, is it just my eyes?

    Thanks for your comments.
     
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  2. teleromeo, Apr 18, 2008

    teleromeo macrumors 65816

    teleromeo

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    #2
    Apple Os uses anti aliassing to render text on the screen. I looks fuzzy but once you get used to it you will miss it when you are on a windows machine.
     
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  3. Eraserhead, Apr 18, 2008

    Eraserhead macrumors G4

    Eraserhead

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    #3
    Its due to Apple distorting the pixels to display the fonts correctly, whereas Microsoft distorts the fonts so they display sharply in the pixels.

    Designers prefer the Mac way, but its not a clear cut issue.
     
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  4. lugesm, Apr 18, 2008

    lugesm thread starter macrumors 6502a

    lugesm

    Joined:
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    #4
    At this point I think I prefer the Microsoft version, as I don't really notice any distortion of the fonts in Windows.

    Thanks for the information.
     
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  5. clevin, Apr 18, 2008

    clevin macrumors G3

    clevin

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    Aug 6, 2006
    #5
    mac people will tell you OSX's font AA is better because it "represent the real world printing result".

    Distortion refers to the concept that Windows distorts "what you expect to see on printed paper" to display it on screen in a sharper fashion (so its easy to read).

    You take that excuse or not...(I don't :D) . I don't see apple changing it, so you may have to get used to it. :eek:
     
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