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Fist off I want to say that you will like the outcome of what I’m about to lay out to you. To some it won’t matter a bit, but to others (and I know there’s more than I) this issue with FIrefox can drive you absolutely nuts. And that issue is font rendering in the Firefox browser.
Now before you get all bent out of shape, me using big technical jargon like "font rendering," hear me out because it’s something a 6 year old might be able to understand. Font rendering is simply how font is displayed in your browser. The main thing it effects is readability. Good font rendering like displayed in Internet Explorer 7 makes the font pop out as a more visually stunning element. Internet Explorer has a huge advantage right now over Firefox in the area of font rendering - for whatever reason, considering IE can’t touch Firefox on a number of issues.
So how do this pertain to the marketer…
Think it about it. What is is that you spend at least 4-5 hours doing online? Reading. Whether it’s articles, emails, blogs, forums, whatever - you spend a majority of time online reading. Maybe I’m crazy, but I’m a glutton for visually appealing aspects of any website, including the text.
Okay, so like any other smart person, FIrefox is my main browser. There’s few issues that still need to resolved, especially in the area of font rendering. As much as it pains me IE actually has an advantage in Font Rending. Let’s face it, Firefox sucks when it comes to font rendering. But what I’m about to show you is a cool trick to get font that renders just as well or EVEN better on Firefox as it does on IE7. Alas, IE has not an ounce of game left.
Here’s a quick example of some screenshots: The first (fig. 1) is a screenshot taken from this blog with it’s default poor font rendering. The second, (fig. 2) is the same screenshot taken using the browser Internet Explorer 7:
Fig.1 - Firefox - Default font rendering (bad)
Fig.2 - Internet Explorer 7 - Default font rendering (great)
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If you examine each figure above, you we see a noticeably better standard of font rendering in Fig.2 - IE than in Fig.1 - FF. Specifically note the increased clearity and in the actual body text as well as the more visually stunning and clearer headings between "Taking the Going Natural 2.0 Challenge" title in the FIrefox screenshot compared to the the "Useless Informationg That Everyone…" title in the IE7 screenshot.
Better yet, do your own experiment..
Open ProProfits in Firefox and and Internet Explorer 7. Examine them side by side. Now, I’d be hard pressed to find someone who can truthfully claim that readability isn’t dramatically improved in IE7.
But Here’s the Problem..
I hate IE, whatever version it may be. Realistically it makes web developers jobs a living hell sometimes (even though that’s not my main gig, I still use web development skills everyday to further my marketing efforts. That’s a topic for another blog though. Not to mention, the add-ons Firefox provides have been instrumental in saving time for as a marketer. Just to name a few:
SEO Quake
Web Developers’ Toolbar
Quick Google/Yahoo/MSN Search Bar (which is a God-send)
A couple more (update this list later)…
What I need is the things I absolutely love about Firefox, by continuing to use Firefox - but the superior font-rendering that IE7 offers.
And Here’s the Solution..
The good news is that it is extremely easy to get this type of enhanced font render on all browser, not just IE7. Here we go…
Step 1 - Get the ClearType Tuner PowerToy from Microsoft here. It lets you fine-tune ClearType so that it looks best on your specific screen. Simply follow the on-screen directions which should take about 1-2 minutes tops.
Step 2 - Enjoy your new Cleartype font-rendering in Firefox, and enhanced readability and overall visual appeal.
You’re Done!
Just for kicks, let’s compare from before and after screenshots from Firefox before, and Firefox now:
Firefox Before
Firefox After
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Notice the difference? The second FIrefox After screenshot exhibits font-rendering and clearity just as well as IE7, which is exactly what I was looking for. And the best part is, now I don’t think I have one excuse ever use IE again.
Just as as side note: This will change the font in everything in Windows - applications, desktop, start menu. Try it and let me know how it works out for you. Remember, when you’re staring at a screen all day, it’s the little things like this that bring a little improvement to the workplace.
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