Screen resolution - too small????

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I have bitten the bullet and decided to give Apple another chance after my first foray into the world of Apple ended in disaster, see HERE. I purchased another Mac Mini today and touch wood this one appears to be OK. I can only come to the conclusion that the first one I purchased was definitely faulty, possibly faulty graphics.

I am determined to give OS X my best shot and have spent the afternoon trying to personalise it and make it more my liking. Whether I ultimately succeed is anyone's guess as I really did/do like Windows 7.

What I would like some advice about is resolution on my BenQ 24" display. I'm sure that my Windows desktop ran at the the same resolution of 1920x1080 as the Mini and yet everything looks smaller on the Mini desktop and I'm struggling to see the detail. With IE there was a + and - in the bottom right hand corner which gave you a nice zoom which would remain even after full shut down and stayed that way until the user altered it again. I'm using Firefox but can't see anything like that, there is a zoom but reverts back when shut down or moving to another tab. I have dropped the screen resolution to 1600x900 which has worked but not sure if I will compromise anything by doing so and what PQ I'm losing. Anyone have any ideas without me having to use "access"
 

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Hey...great to hear that you're giving another Mac-mini a shot...and doing it relatively so soon!:)

As far as customizing. Yes both your Windows computer & the Mac-mini may have been running your 24" monitor at 1920 x 1080...but maybe the default text & icon size is smaller on the Mac than on the Windows computer you were using before...so these items look smaller on the Mac.

As mentioned in other threads...don't try switching to the Mac OS...but still try to "morph" the Mac OS into the Windows OS you're used to!:) Similar functions may exist in the Mac OS...and then sometimes they are just different. It's the same "deal" if someone was trying to switch from the Mac OS to Windows. Some things are just different.

But here's some ideas to try to help you customize things a little more to your liking:

- as far as the size of text & icons on the desktop...go to the "Finder" aka "The Desktop". Go to the "View" drop down menu...and choose "Show View Options". This allows you to set the size of text & icons on the desktop.

- regarding Safari. There are two things you can do:

1. Go to the "View" drop down menu...and then click on "Zoom In" or "Zoom Out" to change the size of of things. I think that this only works for the page you are currently in...but if you continue to navigate on that page it will stay zoomed. But if you have 10 Safari pages open...the other 9 will not be zoomed.

2. Go to the Safari Preferences (Safari drop down menu)...once you have the Safari Preferences window...click on "Advanced". Click/check on the box that says "Never Use Fonts Smaller than"...and then enter the size you prefer.

Hope this helps,

- Nick
 
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Hey...great to hear that you're giving another Mac-mini a shot...and doing it relatively so soon!:)

As far as customizing. Yes both your Windows computer & the Mac-mini may have been running your 24" monitor at 1920 x 1080...but maybe the default text & icon size is smaller on the Mac than on the Windows computer you were using before...so these items look smaller on the Mac.

As mentioned in other threads...don't try switching to the Mac OS...but still try to "morph" the Mac OS into the Windows OS you're used to!:) Similar functions may exist in the Mac OS...and then sometimes they are just different. It's the same "deal" if someone was trying to switch from the Mac OS to Windows. Some things are just different.

But here's some ideas to try to help you customize things a little more to your liking:

- as far as the size of text & icons on the desktop...go to the "Finder" aka "The Desktop". Go to the "View" drop down menu...and choose "Show View Options". This allows you to set the size of text & icons on the desktop.

- regarding Safari. There are two things you can do:

1. Go to the "View" drop down menu...and then click on "Zoom In" or "Zoom Out" to change the size of of things. I think that this only works for the page you are currently in...but if you continue to navigate on that page it will stay zoomed. But if you have 10 Safari pages open...the other 9 will not be zoomed.

2. Go to the Safari Preferences (Safari drop down menu)...once you have the Safari Preferences window...click on "Advanced". Click/check on the box that says "Never Use Fonts Smaller than"...and then enter the size you prefer.

Hope this helps,

- Nick

Thanks for the prompt response, I am finding some things in OS X which I already prefer like lists of my docs from the folder on my desktop. I like the way they expand up and sideways. I have found dropping the resolution brings everything up to the size I can comfortably use though as I said I'm not sure if I'm losing any PQ or brightness by doing so? You mention Safari, did you mean that or Firefox as I said I was using Firefox. I'm not keen on Safari and I wasn't keen on it in Windows either. The method of displaying bookmarks annoys me greatly.
 

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Thanks for the prompt response, I am finding some things in OS X which I already prefer like lists of my docs from the folder on my desktop. I like the way they expand up and sideways. I have found dropping the resolution brings everything up to the size I can comfortably use though as I said I'm not sure if I'm losing any PQ or brightness by doing so?

If you find you have to change your monitors resolution from it's "native" resolution of 1920 x 1080...then yes...you will lose picture quality & sharpness.

You mention Safari, did you mean that or Firefox as I said I was using Firefox. I'm not keen on Safari and I wasn't keen on it in Windows either. The method of displaying bookmarks annoys me greatly.

Sorry...yes I was talking about Safari. I had "Safari on the brain";)...and I guess I missed the detail that you're using Firefox.

- Nick
 

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This is from Firefox. In Preferences go to the Content tab and click on Advanced. Change the Minimum Font Size. See if that helps. It should stay that way also after you shut down and reopen firefox. I hope this helps.

Ignore some of the other crazy font sizes. I did not change them back when I took the screen shots.

Picture 2.jpg

Picture 3.jpg
 
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This is from Firefox. In Preferences go to the Content tab and click on Advanced. Change the Minimum Font Size. See if that helps. It should stay that way also after you shut down and reopen firefox. I hope this helps.

Ignore some of the other crazy font sizes. I did not change them back when I took the screen shots.

That seems to have improved things somewhat. I have put the resolution back to what it should be and altered the fonts sizes instead. You do have to be careful not to go OTT though as it messes up some web pages.

I do find some of the stuff a tad small though. Even the icons on the google toolbar are quite small yet there is an option to use small icons??
 
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I have found a great little add-on for Firefox called NoSquint - this really is a worthwhile add-on for anyone who finds the web pages using Firefox a tad small. The add-on puts a little icon in the bottom right hand corner of the page similar to IE where you can select what size of text etc. you find comfortable. :Cool:
 

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I have found a great little add-on for Firefox called NoSquint - this really is a worthwhile add-on for anyone who finds the web pages using Firefox a tad small. The add-on puts a little icon in the bottom right hand corner of the page similar to IE where you can select what size of text etc. you find comfortable. :Cool:

Thanks for the heads up on that Firefox plug in. It just might help someone with bad eyesight down the road. My eyesight is not the best but so far I can get by with reading glasses and playing with the Font Size in Safari or Firefox.
 

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Instead of cluttering up another members thread with my post below...I thought that I would post it here. In another thread you said:

I would liken W7 to Marilyn Monroe with the brains of Einstein with OS X being the class swot who never wants to party. Give the girl a new frock.

I know that I & and others have helped you quite a bit with your Mac & OS X endeavors in a number of threads...and now you're on your 2nd Mac-mini...and all I keep hearing from you is complaints!

You're complaining that:

- OS X is not customizable enough
- You don't like Safari that's why you're using Firefox
- You're complaining that stuff looks too small on your 24" monitor compared to your Windows computer
- You're complaining that text in Safari & Firefox is too small.
- you were complaining that the quality of Macintosh computers is poor because your 1st Mac-mini had a problem (which could have been user error)...but if not...all you had to do was return it for another one!
- You also said, "I would liken W7 to Marilyn Monroe with the brains of Einstein with OS X being the class swot who never wants to party."
- I'm sure there's more that I'm forgetting.

And when someone helps you out with a solution to a problem (earlier in this thread) you say...
That seems to have improved things somewhat.
..."Instead of saying..."Wow...that really helped!". You can't even be enthusiastic when someone solves a Mac OS X problem for you!!!

So can you please remind me again (with all of the complaining) why you're even considering using a Macintosh in the first place?

Thanks,

- Nick
 
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Thanks for the heads up on that Firefox plug in. It just might help someone with bad eyesight down the road. My eyesight is not the best but so far I can get by with reading glasses and playing with the Font Size in Safari or Firefox.

The beauty of the add-on is that instead of having to alter settings you have a choice of two sliders, one for text and one for pages. Once set it will remain until further user intervention, it will also save me money on headache pills which was a genuine issue for me. It will also save me a visit to the opticians for a pair of jam jar bottoms. Now if I could just make the toolbar icons in Firefox larger I would be content?
 
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- OS X is not customizable enough

I can say with all honesty that I have used W7 since Beta release and not had to carry out any customisations - for me it worked straight out of the box and more importantly worked to my liking.

- You don't like Safari that's why you're using Firefox

Installed it for Windows and hated it and it's no better in OS X - I like my bookmarks down the side not taking over the entire screen. I don't know many people that do like Safari. Given a choice I would opt for IE every time.

- You're complaining that stuff looks too small on your 24" monitor compared to your Windows computer

I have a visual impairment so like icons web pages and text to be slightly larger. Do you have a problem with disabilities?
- You're complaining that text in Safari & Firefox is too small.

I've already answered that one.

- you were complaining that the quality of Macintosh computers is poor because your 1st Mac-mini had a problem (which could have been user error)...but if not...all you had to do was return it for another one!

Your point being what? I think given that this one appears to be fine then it is highly unlikely to have been user error don't you think? I spent days installing data, programmes, etc. plus the time and expense of having to make two journeys of over a hundred miles each to (a) buy the product and (b) return it. The reason I opted for a refund (wisely in my view) was to prevent a repetition of events. This new one has been ordered online. I think therefore I was justified in being unhappy with the situation.

- You also said, "I would liken W7 to Marilyn Monroe with the brains of Einstein with OS X being the class swot who never wants to
party."

That's my view so far - I am entitled to a view am I?

And when someone helps you out with a solution to a problem (earlier in this thread) you say...
Quote:
Originally Posted by JP-ME View Post
That seems to have improved things somewhat.
..."Instead of saying..."Wow...that really helped!". You can't even be enthusiastic when someone solves a Mac OS X problem for you!!!

It may be a culture thing, I'm not sure where you are based but I live in the UK. In the main most people in the UK do not enunciate in that manner. I am certainly more reserved and when I said "that seems to have improved things somewhat" that is exactly how I speak. That is me and that is the way I speak for which I make no apologies.

So can you please remind me again (with all of the complaining) why you're even considering using a Macintosh in the first place?

I have heard lots of good things about Apple and their products over the years so why not try one of them? I have also heard lots of good things about cars I have bought over the years but not all live up to customer expectation.

Now was there anything else you wanted to get off your chest?
 

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I have a visual impairment so like icons web pages and text to be slightly larger. Do you have a problem with disabilities?

No I don't have a problem with folks with disabilities...I have my own issues as well! But when folks are trying their best to help you...be a little more positive!

If you have eyesight issues...and the suggestions that were suggested so far don't help...then how about checking out the features available in the "Universal Access" control panel in "System Preferences".

Your point being what? I think given that this one appears to be fine then it is highly unlikely to have been user error don't you think? I spent days installing data, programmes, etc. plus the time and expense of having to make two journeys of over a hundred miles each to (a) buy the product and (b) return it. The reason I opted for a refund (wisely in my view) was to prevent a repetition of events. This new one has been ordered online. I think therefore I was justified in being unhappy with the situation.

I agree. Your first Mac-mini probably was defective & it was a good idea to return it (which was my suggestion & others suggestion to you). My issue is...you were complaining like a 5 year-old child that just had their ice-cream taken away in that first Mac-mini thread...when you just should have been an adult about it...and just returned it. Now that you have a properly working Mac-mini...now your complaining has switched from the hardware to the software!!!:(

It may be a culture thing, I'm not sure where you are based but I live in the UK. In the main most people in the UK do not enunciate in that manner. I am certainly more reserved and when I said "that seems to have improved things somewhat" that is exactly how I speak. That is me and that is the way I speak for which I make no apologies.

Yes...you are referring to the British "Stiff upper lip"...sort of thing.;) I've heard that other folks in the UK find this sort of attitude very irritating as well. You're understated tone of appreciation when responding to the positive help of others...just adds the perception of your negative attitude about everything Macintosh.

I have heard lots of good things about Apple and their products over the years so why not try one of them? I have also heard lots of good things about cars I have bought over the years but not all live up to customer expectation.
Again..whether it's cars or Macintosh computers...you seem to have a very negative slant towards most things. Or at least most things you've discussed here on Mac-Forums.

Now was there anything else you wanted to get off your chest?

Not that I would care to discuss with you...unless I wanted the most negative response possible.

The bottom line is...the sum total of just about all of your responses are...whether due to

- faulty hardware
- bad eyesight
- being from the UK or being British
- being unhappy with new products (cars & computers)
- don't like the Mac OS
- don't like Apple developed software like Safari

Pretty much everything you say has a negative slant to it...including your responses when someone has helped you!:(

- Nick
 

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Now if I could just make the toolbar icons in Firefox larger I would be content?

So far at least with the FireFox built in settings, all I have found is a way to make the toolbar icons SMALLER! :D Grin That would not work! Will see if I can maybe find a plugin for you.

My eyesight is not the best either so I can understand. I am able to get around it most of the time with 2.75x reading glasses.

Edit: Give this a try. Icons in the FF toolbar are way larger. Only thing is it adds something with Bing search but that you can disable in the Plug In's settings. See if this helps.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6070/
 
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Not that I would care to discuss with you...unless I wanted the most negative response possible.
The bottom line is...the sum total of just about all of your responses are...whether due to

- faulty hardware
- bad eyesight
- being from the UK or being British
- being unhappy with new products (cars & computers)
- don't like the Mac OS
- don't like Apple developed software like Safari

Pretty much everything you say has a negative slant to it...including your responses when someone has helped you!

Perhaps then it is Apple that need to up their game eh? No one has been more critical of Windows over the years than me as they have released some pretty poor iterations. I even had a personal response from a Mr Balmer on one occasion. However, for me at at least W7 worked straight out of the box and is the bench mark by which I judge all others. I'm not interested whether MS lifted many of their ideas from OS X, they may well have done but to my mind they have also polished them up.

You seem to think we all have to worship at the alter of Jobs - I'm sorry pigoo3 but we Brits worship at no ones alter, we are quite an irreverent bunch I'm afraid. You want to see the way we treat our politicians.

Don't like OS X you say of me? Well straight out of the box I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment of my feelings but given time and a bit of tweaking I'm sure I'll get there.

You had a go at me for not liking Safari - I've never met anyone that does. Most Apple users I know say it's poor and use alternatives. Maybe you are one of the few who do?

As for the small text well if you read back a few posts you will notice I have found an add-on called NoSquint which works really well so problem solved on that one.

If or when I finally have something to cheer about I'll let you know then perhaps you can celebrate on my behalf, now how does that sound?
 
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So far at least with the FireFox built in settings, all I have found is a way to make the toolbar icons SMALLER! :D Grin That would not work! Will see if I can maybe find a plugin for you.

My eyesight is not the best either so I can understand. I am able to get around it most of the time with 2.75x reading glasses.

Edit: Give this a try. Icons in the FF toolbar are way larger. Only thing is it adds something with Bing search but that you can disable in the Plug In's settings. See if this helps.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6070/

Thanks for that tip - certainly makes the icons larger and the appearance somewhat more trendy.
 

pigoo3

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Perhaps then it is Apple that need to up their game eh? No one has been more critical of Windows over the years than me as they have released some pretty poor iterations. I even had a personal response from a Mr Balmer on one occasion. However, for me at at least W7 worked straight out of the box and is the bench mark by which I judge all others. I'm not interested whether MS lifted many of their ideas from OS X, they may well have done but to my mind they have also polished them up.

You seem to think we all have to worship at the alter of Jobs - I'm sorry pigoo3 but we Brits worship at no ones alter, we are quite an irreverent bunch I'm afraid. You want to see the way we treat our politicians.

Don't like OS X you say of me? Well straight out of the box I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment of my feelings but given time and a bit of tweaking I'm sure I'll get there.

You had a go at me for not liking Safari - I've never met anyone that does. Most Apple users I know say it's poor and use alternatives. Maybe you are one of the few who do?

As for the small text well if you read back a few posts you will notice I have found an add-on called NoSquint which works really well so problem solved on that one.

If or when I finally have something to cheer about I'll let you know then perhaps you can celebrate on my behalf, now how does that sound?

All I can say is that it seems that there is not much that makes you happy...or that you can give a positive review for!:( This is not to be confused with having high standards!;) Simply that you look at many things in a pessimistic manner!:(

Sounds to me (thus far) that you are much "less negative" (but not happy) in a Windows environment...regardless of the amount of help you've received from members here on Mac-Forums!

Good luck,

- Nick
 
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In ANY OS X application, you can press Command+ to zoom in and CMD- to zoom out. Works in Firefox, Safari, Mail or whatever. In Safari, this gets reset when you close and re-open the app, but in Firefox, it's persistent.

Additionally, under Universal Access under the system preferences, there are other options around this.
 

pigoo3

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In ANY OS X application, you can press Command+ to zoom in and CMD- to zoom out. Works in Firefox, Safari, Mail or whatever. In Safari, this gets reset when you close and re-open the app, but in Firefox, it's persistent.

Additionally, under Universal Access under the system preferences, there are other options around this.

This is probably one the most common "command" key functions I use (after cut, copy, and paste).

I also frequently use the "ctrl" + 2-finger scroll on a laptop to "zoom in" & "zoom out"

- Nick
 
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I also frequently use the "ctrl" + 2-finger scroll on a laptop to "zoom in" & "zoom out"

- Nick

Or the mouse ball/scroller if you have an external mouse. Anyway, the point is there are lots of ways to make what you're looking at larger.
 

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Or the mouse ball/scroller if you have an external mouse. Anyway, the point is there are lots of ways to make what you're looking at larger.

Yes...I was going to add that this "zoom" command works on mouse balls & scroll wheels as well.:) The one thing I couldn't find is if there is a purely keyboard only combination that does the same thing.

- Nick
 

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