Author Topic: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!  (Read 5383 times)

Offline David In Indy

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Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« on: May 14, 2010, 05:22:14 pm »
The text on some of the websites I visit is WAAAAY too small to read. Now it has started happening on Wikipedia. The text looks like tiny dots and the formatting is really bad, with the text sometimes running together, graphics being mashed against the text (not that that really matters since I can't read it anyway).

Here is a couple screenshots from Wikipedia. The first picture is the left side of the screen, and the second of the right side of the screen (the picture was too large to upload without cutting it in half)








I mean seriously! Even Superman wouldn't be able to read that!

Notice the Wikipedia graphic being mashed against the text in the top picture (top left hand corner).

Has this happened to anyone else? Like I said, it's been happening on some of the AOL news sites for quite a while, but it just started happening on Wikipedia yesterday. To my knowledge I haven't changed anything!

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I use Wikipedia all of the time, so it's a shame it has started happening over there. :(

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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2010, 05:24:48 pm »
Here's another example. The graphics are fine in this one and the text is a LITTLE bigger, but still very small.





I should mention I tried emptying out my cache and it didn't make a difference. :-\

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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2010, 05:26:14 pm »
In that picture above, you will notice I circled the place where you select the graphic size. I have it set to the largest sized font available.
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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2010, 05:40:44 pm »
Here's an example of the text getting all mashed together. Look at the text under the picture. Also, notice how the little "lock" is sitting over the city coordinates. Yesterday, I pulled up an article (I forget what it was now) and things looked really messy. The tiny text was running over the pictures.





Anyway, if anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate your help! :)

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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2010, 06:47:35 pm »
You need to adjust your Internet settings and then reboot. It should be fairly easy to correct. Good luck!
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Offline Mandy21

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2010, 07:18:28 pm »
How old is your computer, David?  I recently bought a new one, and it is unbelievable how much technology has improved in the last 3 or 4 years.  Absolutely astounding.  Things on this new PC almost look like they're in 3D, it's just too clear to be believed.  Maybe it's time for an upgrade, if Lee's suggestion doesn't help?
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Offline David In Indy

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2010, 08:00:28 pm »
This computer is about 4 years old Mandy. I've been planning to get a new laptop but I haven't got around to it yet. Maybe this is a clue I should get my ass up and go buy one. :-\

____________________________________

What do I need to adjust Lee? I don't see anything about video settings...



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Offline Mandy21

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2010, 08:17:17 pm »
Yeah, I'd have to say it's about time, then.  I know it's a painful thing to do because we get so attached to our computers.  We load so much onto them that makes us happy, and it rips us apart to let go of them.  Especially if you're like me, and you never, ever back up your work because that would be pessimistic, and who wants to be that???  30 years ago, people were saying "what's a computer?", but now we define ourselves and live and breathe by them.  Unfortunately the powers-that-be have yet to invent laptops that last much more than 3 or 4 years; I certainly wish they would cause I'm on my third already, and I was a late comer to the game.  But trust me, you'll be happily astounded at the improvements and advances and general marvelousness if you buy a new one.  Hell's bells, I've literally emptied out my entire home office and am going to do insane things (for me, at least) like vacuum and mop and paint and clean and cull and rearrange before I let the beauty that is my new purple laptop settle herself down in her new home.

THAT is how much I am willing to embrace new technologies.  It's a glorious thing.  If Lee's suggestion doesn't help, I want to hear all about your new future purchase. 
  8)
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2010, 08:30:30 pm »
It depends on what kind of computer you have and also what kind of browser you're using. I'm using a MacIntosh iBook G4 and running a Firefox browser. Your mileage may differ. In Firefox, you can change your preferences, and I have them set to Times New Roman 16 pt font. That seems large but it doesn't look particularly large on the screen. Some browsers only let you choose "small" "normal" or large type. It looks like yours is set to small, which can be really tiny. You can also choose screen resolution in the "View" menu which might help. You just have to tinker with it.

You might also run a defragging operation, which is where your computer reorganizes information that has become "fragmented" into a better order. This is a good maintenance item, especially for older computers. You can do it by right clicking on your My Computer icon or sometimes it is a stand-alone operation. Also, make sure you are using the latest version of your browser software. You can usually download new versions free.
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Offline underdown

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2010, 11:30:12 am »

According to the user blogs I've looked at, this is a common problem Windows and Internet Explorer, where sometimes the set font size just happens to change for no obvious reason.

The answer for some has been to check the screen font size, which should be set to 100%.
In IE up to 7, go to the menu bar at the top, click view, then font size, and click 100% if it has changed from that.
In IE 8, the current percentage appears right down in the bottom right corner of the IE screen. If you click on that, it will show the various percentages you can click on.

If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, you should also be able to hold down control (Ctrl) and use the scoll wheel to adjust the size (zoom in or out). Pics and graphics are adjusted too, not just text.

It can also be the case that some websites are optimising for newer computers with larger screens, and people with older, smaller screens need to use a larger font size and scroll the page.

Hope that helps.

Offline David In Indy

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2010, 12:57:16 pm »
Rob, your suggestion to hold down the control button and use the scroll wheel on the mouse worked. I tried it over at Wikipedia and it popped the text to the correct size. And it happened just after I had turned the scroll button very slightly. So, I don't understand it at all. It doesn't make sense to me, but it worked and I'm a happy camper! Thank you for your suggestion! I tried your other suggestion first, the one where you told me to look under the "view" section in IE and change the font size (for some reason it was set to "smallest") and I changed it to "largest". I use a different browser though. I am on AOL and they have their own unique software. I couldn't find anyplace that allowed me to change the font size in the AOL browser, but I think AOL still depends on the IE browser for many of its functions.

And thank you Lee, Fran (I got your PM) and Mandy for your advice and tips. I know that takes a lot of time to think through and then type out. And so I really appreciate everyone's help with this problem. It was very frustrating, and I'm still not sure why it happened but it seems to be fixed now. Thanks everyone! :-* :-* :-* :-*

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Offline Mandy21

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Re: Computer Problem!! Please Help!!!
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2010, 03:55:31 pm »
I'm glad everything has worked out for you now, David!
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