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Better Way to Read pdfs?

captainkcaptaink TexasRegistered User regular
I'm in a few classes this semester where I'm to read journal articles and e-books and such. Problem is, reading that much on a computer screen is stressful on my eyes. I don't want to print them out because that's a copious waste of paper and ink, since I won't be marking on them.

Is there a software solution to make the monitor easier to read?

Is there a hardware solution? I probably don't want to spend the money on it, but I'm curious anyways.

I already have a nice Dell monitor that turns 90 degrees, so it's "tall" instead of wide. That helps with the text size/formatting.

captaink on

Posts

  • tbloxhamtbloxham Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I'd heard anecdotal evidence that a matte screen is easier on the eyes for reading than a shiny one, due to the lack of any surface reflections, but never been able to really notice it myself. Beyond that I think your only solution is to buy a massive screen, so you can view full pages in full page size.

    Or you could try one of those e-reader devices, I find half the trouble with reading papers online is that you can't move the screen about to just where you want it as you read, so you end up reading in an unnatural position.

    tbloxham on
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  • wunderbarwunderbar What Have I Done? Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    I originally thought this would be about PDF software lol. I would suggest Foxit or Sumatra.

    But as per topic, is it possible that you either need glasses, or need to take them off to read. I wear glasses 90% of the time, but I just can't wear them when working on the computer. I get headaches after reading a computer screen for more than 30 minutes with my glasses on. My eye doctor recommends I actually take my glasses off to read.

    tl;dr: get your eyes checked maybe?

    wunderbar on
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  • Recoil42Recoil42 Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    The hardware solution, since you're curious about it:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Ink

    Notably, the Amazon Kindle uses it.

    The OLPC XO also supposedly uses some kind of e-ink-similar technology for its screen that makes it much easier to read while in black-and-white mode, but I have no idea how it differs in execution from actual e-ink.


    Software solution? Try finding some way of editing the PDFs to change their background colour. Grey text on black, or white text on grey is much easier on the eyes than white-on-black, especially on a bright computer display.

    Recoil42 on
  • captainkcaptaink TexasRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    wunderbar wrote: »
    I originally thought this would be about PDF software lol. I would suggest Foxit or Sumatra.

    But as per topic, is it possible that you either need glasses, or need to take them off to read. I wear glasses 90% of the time, but I just can't wear them when working on the computer. I get headaches after reading a computer screen for more than 30 minutes with my glasses on. My eye doctor recommends I actually take my glasses off to read.

    tl;dr: get your eyes checked maybe?

    Oh I definitely have bad eyes. I wear glasses, and I can't read without them.

    captaink on
  • captainkcaptaink TexasRegistered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Adobe has a "replace text and background" feature.

    I set it to white text on a grey background. It's a bit easier. I think the problem at heart is that I'm sitting at a desk looking up on a computer monitor, rather than down at a book. For whatever reason, I can't do long bouts of reading like that.

    captaink on
  • KrikeeKrikee Registered User regular
    edited January 2008
    Try positioning your monitor so it's below your eye level (ie you're looking down at the monitor and not up). That should help with some of the stress.

    Krikee on
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