ClearType

ClearType seems to be the most forgotten feature of Windows XP (yeah, I know, everybody is thinking of Vista now and XP is no longer of any interest...). But if you happen to have a notebook (or an LCD screen, preferably connected to a digital video port), you should try it.

There are several ways to turn ClearType on. First (the least obvious) is: right-click somewhere on an empty desktop area, select Properties, then the Appearance tab and Effects button. Second line from the top lets you select ClearType as a "method to smooth edges of screen fonts". There is a better way. Go to Windows XP Powertoys page and you will find the ClearType Tuner application there. Install it and run. It will guide you through a simple wizard that will select the best ClearType settings for your environment. And if you have not been using ClearType yet, you will not believe how brilliant your screen is going to look.

Sometimes the best gems are just lying at our fingertips and we do not see them...