# A lame, apathetic Microsoft whine **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 14, 2002, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042 "2002-06-14T14:23:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/1 "2002-06-14T14:23:53Z")
Well done M$; XP is actually quite a stable, usable OS, but… Yes, I know it’s only an option, but do you really think that I want a desktop that looks like Tellytubbyland? Do you really think that an OS that has the word ‘Professional’ in the name should confront the user with a goofy looking cartoon dog when he tries to search for files? .Net Passport Conflict!!! :eek: !!! “**You are currently signed in as [SomeSucker@Hotmail.com](mailto:SomeSucker@Hotmail.com) but you are attempting to sign in as [SomeSucker@Hotmail.com](mailto:SomeSucker@Hotmail.com) ; do you want to stay signed in as [SomeSucker@Hotmail.com](mailto:SomeSucker@Hotmail.com) or sign out as [SomeSucker@Hotmail.com](mailto:SomeSucker@Hotmail.com) and then sign back in as [SomeSucker@Hotmail.com](mailto:SomeSucker@Hotmail.com) ?**” Ummm, decisions, decisions… ClearType? My Eyes!, My Eyes! - why did you decide to call it cleartype?; it looks far from clear to me; you should have chosen a more appropriate name; May I suggest ‘BlurryType’ or ‘ChromaticAberrationType’?. That will be all for now. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/2 "2002-06-14T16:31:01Z")
There’s a bug in XP. you can change your desktop but for now you have to replace it with a .bmp file ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/3 "2002-06-14T21:44:42Z")
's alright, I chose my favourite wallpaper; it’s called ‘(none)’. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/4 "2002-06-14T23:18:17Z")
Yeah, the default desktop does look like crap. And one of my first steps after installing XP was disabling all the useless, extraneous options that just suck up system resources (why the hell would I want my windows to take five seconds to fade out after I press the “minimize” button? When I want them gone, I want them gone NOW!). But Cleartype? Gotta disagree with you there, buckaroo. Looks like a textual orgasm on my computer, unless I play Counterstrike (then I get a greenish tint to the text). ---
**Author:** ![Kirkland1244](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kirkland1244](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kirkland1244)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/5 "2002-06-14T23:29:47Z")
ClearType is actually pretty good. I use Mac OS X on my new iMac, and it renders fonts with a similar respect. They don’t look blurry, they look real, like text would look on paper. Over time, and especailly on LCD panels, its much easier on your eyes. Yeah, .Net Passport is not only evil, its’ buggy. I stopped using Hotmail because I won’t support it or Microsoft’s dominate-the-Internet agenda. Kirk ---
**Author:** ![fallom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@fallom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fallom)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/6 "2002-06-14T23:45:09Z")
For once, a microsoft rant with no “OMG TEH MICROSHAFT SUCKS CUZ IT HAS SUM BUGZ AND IT DOESNT SUPPORT TEN YEAR OLD DOS SOFTWARE OMG OH GNOS” _clap clap clap_ Well done. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/7 "2002-06-15T00:02:48Z")
A long time ago, I downloaded a demo of a subpixel rendering utility that predates ClearType and it was OKish, but there’s a definite coloured fringe to the characters\* when I turn on Cleartype on this machine and they also don’t look nearly as crisp. It’s a 14.1" LCD screen with 1024x768 resolution BTW. \*I’ve turned it back on for a moment; in the text in the address bar on this page that I’m looking at now, there’s a distinct bluish cast to the second / after the http and the h in straightdope; whereas the i and p in straightdope have a reddish cast, yeuch!, it’s just like when you get new glasses and everything looks wrong but harder to get accustomed to. ---
**Author:** ![fallom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@fallom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fallom)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/8 "2002-06-15T00:35:33Z")
I think it’s the monitor that’s screwing you up. Have you tried the cleartype monitor configuration utility? I think it’s in the help section somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![hansel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@hansel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hansel)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/9 "2002-06-15T01:44:57Z")
Cleartype is really only beneficial if you have an LCD monitor set at the native resolution; otherwise, it just makes things worse. As for the theme, there’s a site called [ThemeXP](http://www.themexp.org/) that has a lot of themes to choose from, and some of them are quite [quiet and dignified](http://www.themexp.org/view_info.php?id=53). ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/10 "2002-06-15T07:29:40Z")
d00d, L1NUX R0X0RS! ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/11 "2002-06-15T09:31:44Z")
Say, I never bothered to learn, but what exactly is the .Net Passport? I’ve never bothered reading any of the E-mails I’ve been sent. Is it anything like what the Lycos Network tried (and failed) to implement? Anyway, about Cleartype… they say that it’s supposed to help you if you have an LCD, but I’ve heard mixed results from flatpanel owners. On my 19" flatscreen, it’s beautiful. Am I to guess that you have one of the first LCD monitors to be introduced? ---
**Author:** ![white-tigeress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f475e1/32.png) [@white-tigeress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/white-tigeress)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/12 "2002-06-15T12:27:06Z")
xp sux try linux its free ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/13 "2002-06-15T12:30:16Z")
… And requires that you be a master of coding just to save a text file… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/14 "2002-06-15T12:39:33Z")
**hansel** – thanks for suggesting that theme. It’s a nice subtle one. ---
**Author:** ![Venoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@Venoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venoma)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/15 "2002-06-15T14:03:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > \*\*… And requires that you be a master of coding just to save a text file… 😃 \*\* vi: esc-:w pico: ^o emacs: never used it. joe: same. Doesn’t take nearly as long as File-Save As… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ankh\_Too](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Ankh\_Too](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ankh_Too)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/16 "2002-06-15T14:59:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Venoma \* > \*\* > vi: esc-:w > pico: ^o > emacs: never used it. > joe: same. > > Doesn’t take nearly as long as File-Save As… 😉 \*\* Notepad: CTRL-S Windows Write: CTRL-S Microsoft Word: CTRL-S at least it’s consistent. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/17 "2002-06-15T22:12:13Z")
It’s not a monitor; I’m using a brand new notebook; 1024x768 is the native resolution; I did the cleartype configuration thing and it now looks very much better. Thanks Fallom. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/18 "2002-06-15T22:20:46Z")
joe: ^K X (save&exit) or ^K D enter (save&stay) ClearType basically tries to render in high resolution the same way those old Apple II computers did. Remember when vertical lines were either red or green, never white? Looks dumb on a regular monitor, but I guess it looks OK on an LCD screen where all the pixels are arranged in a nice grid of red green blue, red green blue. Some screens are BGR instead so you may have to change an option if it looks bad on your flat panel. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/19 "2002-06-15T22:41:42Z")
**SPOOFE** : the .net passport is essentially a digital ID; you have to divulge certain personal details to MS to get hotmail, so the logic is that MS can vouch for your identity at other sites (eBay, for example) without you having to jump through lots of hoops. That’s the theory, anyway; the practice isn’t quite as good. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042/20 "2002-06-16T00:11:05Z")
Ah, so it’s one of those schemes designed to make the computer illiterate think that they know what they’re doing when they use their 133t skillz to buy underpants off the Internet. Gotcha. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-lame-apathetic-microsoft-whine/114042.md?page=2)