tips / fonts rendering / more

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Hello everybody.

I am a new OS X user ( Mountain Lion ) i love this OS, and i have a few questions about this, please dont mind me.

First of all : is there a way to make the fonts looks more crisp / clear ? Especially under Mozilla Firefox. I use a lot, the internet browsing, so i would spend weeks if it´s necessary, to modify files, and so on. Why are they different looking as Windows OS ?

I tried with Tinker Tool but the results wasnt as i exppected to be.

Another question : are there any tools to let me modify the mouse settings ? I think the mouse is a bit slow on OSX. I want to improve the ¨pointer options¨ / speed /

I purchased a mouse with 1200 dpi, under Windows is pretty fast. Would you recommend me to but MacPilot software ? Would that help me for some other programs from OS X ?

What about the customization / settings of the graphic card ? Could i change the brightness / colors / saturation / gamma / contrast / digital vibrance, etc ??

Please give me some tips, guys. Especially for the fonts rendering.

Thanks a million, in advance.

Any advices / ideas / are welcome.
 
Windows and OS X render fonts with completely different technologies, and will always look distinctively different.
Windows relies on the technology provided by ClearType, which is an attempt to make fonts more readable on certain types of displays, such as LCD screens. One result is that some typefaces are modified to make the fonts clearer, and therefore easier to read. Some folks take issue with the fact that some fonts in Windows do NOT appear as the font foundry intended. More readable, but the font is modified, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ClearType

OS X, on the other hand, attempts to show fonts exactly as the fonts are designed to look.
Some fonts are not really designed to work well as a screen font, and OS X does not help those fonts appear more readable.
And, some folks don't care for that approach, either.
More here: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2007/06/font-rendering-respecting-the-pixel-grid.html

The different look will also always be a personal preference. You may or may not like one or both methods of rendering fonts.
Some folks think that Windows font rendering is TOO sharp, and prefer that softer edge in OS X.

Just my opinion: Forcing OS X to "look" like Windows (or vice versa) always seems to me to be an exercise in frustration.

For your mouse "speed", you can try one of the mouse utilities, such as SteerMouse: http://download.cnet.com/SteerMouse/3000-18491_4-76439.html?tag=contentBody;pop

There's a simple display calibration in System Preferences/Displays pane, under the color tab. That may be adequate for your needs - or you can go with a calibrator that is more pro-like, such as SuperCal http://download.cnet.com/SuperCal/3000-2094_4-21530.html?tag=mncol;1
I don't have a need for that kind of software, but I just offer it to start you on your search (if you do need it)
 
Welcome to the Mac. I urge you as a new Mac OS X user get the funny & informative Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Mountain Lion Edition. trust me when I say this book will almost make you a Mac OS X power user and will be a great OS X reference book. It is a very funny easy to read book.

Now your fonts, where to put downloaded able fonts, is easy to get to. On your Mac click on the bare desktop then (when the Finder menu (kind of like windows file Explorer) appear in the Menu bar. Now hold down (on your Mac keyboard) the option key & then (while holding down the command key) click on the menu word 'Go'. In the drop-down click on the word 'Library'. This is your User Library. Here will be the User Fonts folder to place downloaded fonts.

A good web site to bookmark (beside the Mac App Store) is MacUpdate.com. They also have good MacUpdate Bundle site. They have quarterly sales art this site that deal it great software deal.

Lastly here are some more good Mac themed web sites you might would want to bookmark:
1) MacOSXHints.com - a great daily hints site.
2) Accelerate Your Macintosh.com - a great site for adding hardware hacks to your Mac
3) iFixIt Guides.com - a great how to install instructions for ram, hard drives and DVD/CD replacements in Apple portables
4) BareFeats.com - a speed testing comparison site for Apple related products
5) "Well Known" TCP and UDP ports used by Apple software products - good Apple document for working with firewall/router logical ports
6) MacFixIt.com - read the fix it articles with a grain of salt but it can sometimes be informative
7) MacWindows.com - Reader reports of using Mac in Windows dominated enterprise world
8) Macworld.com - Mac news site
9) MacUpdate.com - Mac software updates listings site
10) OWC and/or Crucial - two sites that sell guaranteed RAM that works great with OS X machines (Apple charges WAY TO MUCH for extra RAM)
11) MacPicks.com - find most any Mac centric web site on the net through this site
12) VMware or Parralles.com - programs that help you run Windows and OS X at the same time on Intel Macs

One last thing: What is the brand and model of mouse you are using? Plus in System Preferences->Mouse pane did you see this to change your mouse settings?
 
I know that Microsoft and Apple have different philosophies about how fonts should appear, but like i said, i would spend weeks and money, only to have the fonts like under Windows. I dont' care which technology is wrong or right, i just like the MS fonts more. By far.
And i'm pretty sure, there is a way to modify them, of course, that would be a very hard job.
If i would have some friends ( IT programer or something like this ) i will pay him to get this job done. No joke.
I want to ask you something else, about os x fonts / resolution /
For example, if i'd buy a MacBook Pro with Retina Display, would that be different with the fonts ?
There is 2880 x 1800 if i know correct. So, let's say, i connect this MBP Retina Display to some 30 inch monitor, with 2560 x 1600 resolution.
How would the image be on the lcd monitor ? Same as the MBP Retina, or worse ?
Same story but Apple Mac Mini instead MBP Retina Display. How would that look on a lcd monitor 30 inch ?
Thank you.
 
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Go to an Apple Store. You can compare systems, and you should be able to answer at least some of your questions after looking at (and trying) a Retina display yourself.
A large display will display fonts in much the same way as a smaller display. A large display will NOT be using the technology that is used to drive a Retina display, at least not this year.
 
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