To developers: regarding font rendering

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MrRoberts

To developers: regarding font rendering

Post by MrRoberts »

Just curious... how did you guys make such beautiful font rendering compare to other Linux distributions?

Yours is sharp, smooth, crisp and easy to read out of the box. Other distributions, I have to tweak to death and still never look as good as Linux Mint.

What's your secret?
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xenopeek
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Re: To developers: regarding font rendering

Post by xenopeek »

Linux Mint uses Ubuntu as a package base. Ubuntu patches font rendering libraries to render fonts smoother. On other distros you can possibly install those same patched libraries (I've done so in the past). Or you can use Infinality patched libraries and custom fonts (it only works with custom fonts AFAIK). Some people swear by Infinality though I've found it to be too involved for me (out of the box fonts don't look so nice; it needs a lot of tweaking to approach what the Ubuntu font rendering libraries do).

My primary install is on another distro (not Ubuntu based) and I'm using Gnome Shell there. Fonts are smooth enough for me without any patched font rendering libraries installed. A lot is also dependent on what fonts you have installed. This will not surprise you but I have the Ubuntu fonts installed :) Also have Google's Noto Sans installed. Recent Linux Mint releases come with Ubuntu fonts and with Noto Sans also IIRC.
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MrRoberts

Re: To developers: regarding font rendering

Post by MrRoberts »

You're right, it is a LOT of work tweaking to death just to get the right font rendering. :D

Noto sans and Ubuntu fonts are very nice, which is what I use myself. Linux Mint 17.1 finally sway me toward Noto font for good.

Even though Linux Mint is base on Ubuntu, there is a difference in the quality between Ubuntu and Linux Mint. I find Linux Mint a lot more polished. Font looks tighter, lean and sharp.

Someone need to make a one-click solution to beautiful fonts in any Linux distributions lol. :lol:
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xenopeek
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Re: To developers: regarding font rendering

Post by xenopeek »

I think the difference is Noto fonts.
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MrRoberts

Re: To developers: regarding font rendering

Post by MrRoberts »

I tested Noto fonts with other Linux distributions like Arch and Slackware. Never got the same result.
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xenopeek
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Re: To developers: regarding font rendering

Post by xenopeek »

Did you use install the Ubuntu patched font rendering libraries on Arch Linux? https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo ... ion#Ubuntu

BTW as this isn't a support question about Linux Mint Xfce so much, moved the topic to chat.
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MrRoberts

Re: To developers: regarding font rendering

Post by MrRoberts »

Thanks for your suggestions and here is another site, which I tried https://forum.manjaro.org/index.php?topic=3459.0

The above link suggestion on font rendering works well too.
Ark987

Re: To developers: regarding font rendering

Post by Ark987 »

xenopeek wrote:Linux Mint uses Ubuntu as a package base. Ubuntu patches font rendering libraries to render fonts smoother. On other distros you can possibly install those same patched libraries (I've done so in the past). Or you can use Infinality patched libraries and custom fonts (it only works with custom fonts AFAIK). Some people swear by Infinality though I've found it to be too involved for me (out of the box fonts don't look so nice; it needs a lot of tweaking to approach what the Ubuntu font rendering libraries do).

My primary install is on another distro (not Ubuntu based) and I'm using Gnome Shell there. Fonts are smooth enough for me without any patched font rendering libraries installed. A lot is also dependent on what fonts you have installed. This will not surprise you but I have the Ubuntu fonts installed :) Also have Google's Noto Sans installed. Recent Linux Mint releases come with Ubuntu fonts and with Noto Sans also IIRC.
I have a side question, Does LMDE2 have those patched libs by default? If not, Will it be considered?
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