Regarding the fuzzy, faded out text in the C3D Text Component Editor. (See this link)
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Civil-3D/Text-Component-Editor-not-clear/m-p/2903854
Does anyone really run Win7 with Clear Type Text disabled? We've tried that and with that disabled, everything else in Windows worse. I wish they would just fix this dialog in C3D.
Yes, this should be fixed. But our work-around is to use TTF's instead of shape fonts. This makes the text clear in the editor, and also makes for better-looking prints. The drawback is that all text needs to be at Z=0, or it may get "fuzzy" or look bold when it shouldn't. We prefer the better look of the TTF's, and just make sure all our annotations are at Z=0 (there's a feature in the Sincpac-C3D that automatically maikes all MLeaders enter at Z=0, even when snapping to 3D linework, so we now consider this a minor issue, but other users may find it more onerous).
Pick your poison. I often think that the difference between a "basic user" and a "guru" with this software is how many bugs you know, and how many you know how to work around. There's often a work-around, but those vary from version to version, just as the bugs vary between versions. Some last forever, like this one. But in most cases, some bugs get fixed in a new version, while an equal number get added. And given the incompatibilty between versions, many of us find the need to use multiple versions of C3D at the same time, which further complicates the problem. Eventually, it gets hard to remember which bugs are in which version. It can get frustrating.
I run it disabled and haven't seen any issues personally. It does make some of the text different but I don't think it's necessarily worse. I typically work with the out of the box styles and since they don't use TTF, disabling clear type makes sense for me.
100% personal opinion on this one.