Font type and color also have a big impact on the visibility and discernability of annotations to documents. Originally, CrystalBoard defaulted to a 9x15 non-proportional font and black color. Not only was information difficult to see, but since the majority of visual information in many programs uses black for text, CrystalBoard text and drawing was difficult to separate from the background. Consequently, the color was switched to hot pink and the font type to 18 point Helvetica. This improved discernability dramatically, but didn't help at all with the clutter.
Authors spend a great deal of time on layout of non-mutable presentations.
When the opportunity arises to use CrystalBoard to present the material, it quickly becomes apparent that smaller amounts of whitespace offer less space for annotation. Graphic presentations often fare better than text presentations because authors leave more whitespace around graphics for better layout. This last addition warrants further discussion. The authors of Toolglass realized the importance of a click-through mode in their magic lenses. Supporting click-through in CrystalBoard would allow the presenter access to the underlying presentation tool.