visual impairment and font sizes

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (More info?)

Hi,
I'm looking for at bit of help here...I am visually impaired, which mean
that I have some trouble reading some fonts on a 1280*1024 desktop (native
resolution, TFT) and I would really like to be able to change more fonts.

One problem is, I am using Windowblinds, a windowsXP theme-like application
that change the looks of windows. It is great, but more or less fits only
for the resolution it was made for. I was told to try out the DPI options,
but have heard bad reports about distorted images etc. Does DPI only affect
fonts, or is it bitmaps too?

Another thing that would be nice would be to change font size in for example
outlook. RIght now I have a crystal clear arial font with Cleartype in front
of me - but only when writiing and sometimes when reading emails...Not in
the selection panes. The fonts there remain very small, and I have to strain
my eyes to read them.

BTW, does anyone know if TFT is "healthier" for your eyes than CRT? I spend
quite some time in front of my computer, and would like to know if there are
preferences for visually impaired people.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (More info?)

Eske--

I just got finished toying around with my fonts not only on my desktop, but
I wanted my menu fonts bigger and my taskbar minimized buttons bigger as
well the last couple days, so I'll tell you a couple places to go. You're
going to have to put up with possibly a little trial and error of some of
those distortions, but when you see what you don't want just go back to
these places, because while I should, I don't have time now to read all the
Tutorials at the stardocks site, but I found that some of the font
manuevering seems to be related to the skin. Let me tell you some places to
go and you'll have to play with these until you get the right result but you
can.

As far as fonts on your desktop icons, take a look at Windowblinds>User
Overrides on the left>Font Overrides>Use the Pulldown menu>I want to make
fonts (% larger up to twice as large). There is also a place to set
titlebar fonts there. That alone might do it for you. There also is
interaction with the display properties dialogue box as to sizes of menus
and fonts in fill in boxes, OE newsgroups, and anywhere there is print. I
started playing with these trying to get colors on certain menus where I
wanted to correlate with some of the Stardocks skins. There is an amazing
variety, but also some of the stardocks downloadable bitmaps can obliterate
every button you want to use behind a wild pattern and while colorful, that
becomes like walking down a hallway in the dark.

Also Stardocks has *Object Desktop* (all of the apps are included in Object
Desktop and they have free trials if you don't have that) and you can play
with some of the settings there. The Longhorn settings I've noticed make
Icon fonts large, and Icons do a cute enlargement when you mouseover them,
and it reminds you of Apple and that's because Longhorn is going to remind
you of Apple visually to an extent from what I can tell. It wouldn't be the
first time Windows has looked just a little like OS whatever on a Mac.

For other font size controls, go to the Display Properties dialogue box.
Right click the desktop>properties or in the run box type "control desk.cpl"
and go to Settings>Advanced and adjust up your DPI setting--I use 150% (144
DPI). On the appearance tab you may want to choose Font size Large. On the
Advanced tab of Appearances note that you have a pulldown that is the same
as the Stardocks' User Overrides with the font size pulldown.

Another trick if you h aven't found it to rheostat adjust size of webpage
fonts, is to go on the IE toolbar to Tools>Options>Accessibility>Put a check
in ignore font size on specified web pages. 5 times a year I'll get a page
that overlaps and have to take the check out to read it and I'm talking
heavy computer use.

These are places where you can go and play with settings to achieve larger
fonts for icons, the taskbar, the notificatino area, menus, dialogue boxes,
and applications like the OE newsgroup lists.

hth,

Chad Harris

_________________________________________________________

"Eske" <ea_postboks@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ea4luCndEHA.3392@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I'm looking for at bit of help here...I am visually impaired, which mean
> that I have some trouble reading some fonts on a 1280*1024 desktop (native
> resolution, TFT) and I would really like to be able to change more fonts.
>
> One problem is, I am using Windowblinds, a windowsXP theme-like
> application
> that change the looks of windows. It is great, but more or less fits only
> for the resolution it was made for. I was told to try out the DPI options,
> but have heard bad reports about distorted images etc. Does DPI only
> affect
> fonts, or is it bitmaps too?
>
> Another thing that would be nice would be to change font size in for
> example
> outlook. RIght now I have a crystal clear arial font with Cleartype in
> front
> of me - but only when writiing and sometimes when reading emails...Not in
> the selection panes. The fonts there remain very small, and I have to
> strain
> my eyes to read them.
>
> BTW, does anyone know if TFT is "healthier" for your eyes than CRT? I
> spend
> quite some time in front of my computer, and would like to know if there
> are
> preferences for visually impaired people.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice!
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.customize (More info?)

Eske--

I meant to mention I don't know the opthalmologic clinical impact of TFT vs.
CRT, but you might want to read a few of these:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=tft+crt+eyes

Also, I think you should give Doug Knox's utility a look here from Doug's
site full of useful utilities:

XP User Display Settings - Allows custom display settings for each user
NEW Version 2.0
Copyright 2002 - Doug Knox

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_userdisplay.htm

Best,

Chad Harris

____________________________________________________

"Eske" <ea_postboks@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ea4luCndEHA.3392@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
> I'm looking for at bit of help here...I am visually impaired, which mean
> that I have some trouble reading some fonts on a 1280*1024 desktop (native
> resolution, TFT) and I would really like to be able to change more fonts.
>
> One problem is, I am using Windowblinds, a windowsXP theme-like
> application
> that change the looks of windows. It is great, but more or less fits only
> for the resolution it was made for. I was told to try out the DPI options,
> but have heard bad reports about distorted images etc. Does DPI only
> affect
> fonts, or is it bitmaps too?
>
> Another thing that would be nice would be to change font size in for
> example
> outlook. RIght now I have a crystal clear arial font with Cleartype in
> front
> of me - but only when writiing and sometimes when reading emails...Not in
> the selection panes. The fonts there remain very small, and I have to
> strain
> my eyes to read them.
>
> BTW, does anyone know if TFT is "healthier" for your eyes than CRT? I
> spend
> quite some time in front of my computer, and would like to know if there
> are
> preferences for visually impaired people.
>
> Thanks in advance for any advice!
>
>