OSX, Firefox, fonts - yes, that issue again.

v0n

v0n

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So, here's what this forum looks like on my mini:
macfont1.jpg


and here's what it looks like on macbook:
macfont2.jpg


Both run the same OS, have the same fonts, same firefox revision, same font settings in Firefox with in fact - the same Firefox profile. Same smoothing style in "System Preferences". And yet I just can't make macbook display "<strong>" fonts on forum as they should be. What gives?
 
OCUK in Safari on macmini looks exactly as good as in Firefox on mini
OCUK in Safari on macbook looks exactly as bad as in Firefox on macbook

Checked sizes of Verdana.ttf in /Library/Fonts on both - both are identical.
 
I found resolution - and it's astonishing. System Preferences->Appearance->Font Smoothing in both is set to automatic.

However.

On mac mini automatic selects CRT (despite me having TFT) for you, whereas on macbook it selects "Best for LCD" and THAT makes fonts look really bad. Force it to "Standard - Best for CRT" on macbook, reboot and voila - fonts on LCD look like they should.

Unfreakingbelievable, they got it so wrong...
 
Just played with the settings on my MacBook and no matter how I try I cannot make it look as bad as the screenshot in the opening post.

Mine is set to Automatic - Best for Main Display.
 
Just played with the settings on my MacBook and no matter how I try I cannot make it look as bad as the screenshot in the opening post.

Mine is set to Automatic - Best for Main Display.

You have to reboot it after each change (sigh... i know)
 
Which one looks the worst?

The characters with "Standard" have noticeable fringing, and with "Medium" look unduly fat, but crisp. Out of the two, I prefer "Medium".

But I use "Light" to get the crisp look with a little less fatness.
 
Last edited:
I found resolution - and it's astonishing. System Preferences->Appearance->Font Smoothing in both is set to automatic.

However.

On mac mini automatic selects CRT (despite me having TFT) for you, whereas on macbook it selects "Best for LCD" and THAT makes fonts look really bad. Force it to "Standard - Best for CRT" on macbook, reboot and voila - fonts on LCD look like they should.

Unfreakingbelievable, they got it so wrong...

Technically speaking, Apple's take on font smoothing is more accurate than Windows ClearType (although that doesn't mean it doesn't look pap)
 
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