Paul,
I know this won't help in the short term, but if you have to squint to read normal text on a 17 inch monitor running 1024x768, you need to make an optomitrist appointment as soon as possible. Either you aren't currently using corrective lenses, or your prescription needs to be updated, but either way you are risking your eye sight by not getting it taken care of. A person with 20/20 vision should have no problems viewing a 17 inch monitor running at 1280x1024, let alone 1024x768.