Recently I've switched from my usual Operating System (Windows) to Ubuntu (Linux), and even though it's a bit tricky with compatibility, the text is much easier to read.
It may seem overly simple, but it seems to be because the default system fonts and fonts in my browser (Chrome) are Sans (size 14) DPI 96. For whatever reason, even when running Chrome browser on Windows 7, the readability isn't as good as now. It could be the fonts are based on the OS fonts.
Compared to the Arial and Times New Roman, etc, that I'm always used to reading, Sans font is at most 50% of the normal eyestrain to read.
I've also made the migration from Firefox/Opera to Google Chrome browser for its superior readability plug ins. Firefox has a very clunky layout in comparison, and for some reason the zooming plug ins require a lot of constant calibration for different web pages. On Chrome, I installed the https://chrome.google.com/extensions/de ... kjimojblie Zoomy extension, and set it to be text-zoomed at 150% permanently, and it is perfect for 99% of webpages now.
Just in case anyone reads a lot, and finds the text on these forums or other websites that are heavily text oriented to be a pain to read, I'd suggest trying out the Sans font, by going to your preferences file (usually in File -> Tools) in Firefox, IE, Chrome, Opera, etc, and then changing your system fonts in control panel to Sans if you like it better, it has made a world of difference for me.
Also, for researching on the web, one of the most important things I've found for enjoying reading websites is having an uninterrupted 'flow' to your ideas/browsing, at least as much as possible. For example, if you're trying to research what the best hammock is for people with bad backs, you might want to search for "best hammock for back pain", "best hammock for the money", and "best hammock for posture" all at the same time, as different keywords reveal golden nuggets. But if your search takes a long time, or your browser lags, or you have to do a bunch of commands like use CTRL+F to find text on a google result page for the first search term, you will forget the 'keywords' that were sparked by your imagination. Even a short second of interrupted thought-process can stop you from finding that 'perfect solution', whether it be researching something to buy, looking up medical or diet information, etc.
So I've compiled a list of Chrome Add Ons that help with this unobstructed 'browsing flow' (as well as the recommendation for Chrome itself, since it seems to get in my way the least when browsing). Most of these extenions/add ons have the identical name for FireFox. If you're using Internet Explorer, I'd urge you to switch, as it's the main target for browser-attacks and is full of garbage.
https://chrome.google.com/extensions/de ... dkikcmoadk
https://chrome.google.com/extensions/de ... kkbiglidom
https://chrome.google.com/extensions/de ... fnobamjonh
https://chrome.google.com/extensions/de ... obmjgjcoja
https://chrome.google.com/extensions/de ... ppfooljekh
https://chrome.google.com/extensions/de ... dmmmbbnbmf
Also, if you'd like to try Ubuntu, you can install it for free with WUBI installer, by creating a new partition, right inside your current OS, whether it be linux or windows. There's no need to burn a CD or order a CD anymore.
Screenshot of how it looks for me:
