A better font rending in Ubuntu
I've been tinkering quite often ever since I upgraded from a Firefox 3.4 to Firefox 3.5 in Ubuntu Intrepid version 8.10. I wasn't satisfied as to how the fonts are being rendered. So I've searched for solutions or a workaround. I was glad that I found a tutorial via kilobitspersecond.com. I thought it was the best workaround available that the Web has to offer for Ubuntu users but I'm still wasn't satisfied of the output.
And Just recently, I've searched for a different solution and found this via linuxtidbits.wordpress.com. A workaround that's quite overwhelming when looking at the code for .fonts.conf file. But when I tried using it, for the first time I was satisfied of the rendering output both in Firefox 3.5 and the desktop system.
Here's the code I've used for ~/.fonts.conf script thanks to linuxtidbits.wordpress.com
<?xml version='1.0'?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM 'fonts.dtd'>
<fontconfig>
<!-- General Settings -->
<match target="font" >
<edit mode="assign" name="rgba" >
<const>rgb</const>
</edit>
</match>
<match target="font" >
<edit mode="assign" name="hinting" >
<bool>true</bool>
</edit>
</match>
<match target="font" >
<edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle" >
<const>hintslight</const>
</edit>
</match>
<match target="font" >
<edit mode="assign" name="antialias" >
<bool>true</bool>
</edit>
</match>
<match target="pattern" >
<edit mode="assign" name="autohint" >
<bool>true</bool>
</edit>
</match>
<match target="font" >
<edit mode="assign" name="lcdfilter">
<const>lcddefault</const>
</edit>
</match>
<!-- set dpi -->
<match target="pattern" >
<edit mode="assign" name="dpi" >
<double>88</double>
</edit>
</match>
<!-- consolas and inconsolata appear fuzzy -->
<match target="font">
<test compare="eq" name="family">
<string>Consolas</string>
</test>
<edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle">
<const>hintmedium</const>
</edit>
</match>
<match target="font">
<test compare="eq" name="family">
<string>Inconsolata</string>
</test>
<edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle">
<const>hintslight</const>
</edit>
</match>
<!-- hintmedium for small fonts, reduces fuzziness -->
<!-- pretty sure this doesn't work -->
<match target="font">
<test compare="less_eq" name="pixelsize">
<double>11</double>
</test>
<edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle">
<const>hintslight</const>
</edit>
</match>
<!-- calibri jaggedness -->
<match target="font" >
<edit mode="assign" name="embeddedbitmap" >
<bool>false</bool></edit>
</match>
<match target="font">
<test compare="eq" name="family">
<string>Arial</string>
</test>
<edit mode="assign" name="hinting">
<bool>true</bool>
</edit>
<edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle">
<const>hintfull</const>
</edit>
<edit mode="assign" name="autohint">
<bool>true</bool>
</edit>
<test compare="less" name="weight">
<const>medium</const>
</test>
</match>
<match target="font">
<test compare="eq" name="family">
<string>Impact</string>
</test>
<edit mode="assign" name="hinting">
<bool>true</bool>
</edit>
<edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle">
<const>hintfull</const>
</edit>
<edit mode="assign" name="autohint">
<bool>false</bool>
</edit>
</match>
</fontconfig>
Update: December 1, 2009
Thanks to @wilmon. If you happen to just let the font spacing/kerning to use the normal or default space, just comment out the following code block as seen below:
<!--
<match target="font">
<test compare="eq" name="family">
<string>Arial</string>
</test>
<edit mode="assign" name="hinting">
<bool>true</bool>
</edit>
<edit mode="assign" name="hintstyle">
<const>hintfull</const>
</edit>
<edit mode="assign" name="autohint">
<bool>true</bool>
</edit>
<test compare="less" name="weight">
<const>medium</const>
</test>
</match>
-->
And here are my screenshot font rending output. See the detailed comparison with or without using the /~.fonts.conf code. Spot the detail in spacing and the redish and greenish color surrounding the font/letter forms. See what screenshot is much more readable.
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