How to Make Fonts on Ubuntu Linux Look Crisp Like on Microsoft Windows

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Have you noticed that fonts on Linux distributions (like Ubuntu) appear fuzzy compared to Microsoft Windows? This is because Ubuntu is using a font display technique called "hinting" which draws the fonts more accurately but can appear blurry to users used to Windows. Below is an example of the difference between Polished Fonts (the Ubuntu default) and Sharp Fonts (the Windows default):

font-comparison

Thanks to OMG Ubuntu! for the screenshot.

Installation

It is possible to make Ubuntu (and other Linux distributions) render fonts as Windows does easily using the Clearfonts package. To install it, simply visit the Clearfonts homepage and download the .deb file, currently clearfonts_0.1.1.deb at the time of this writing. Once it is downloaded, double-click on it to open it, and then click the Install button, similar to the following screenshot:

gdebi-install

Once it is installed, try opening a new application and observe the results.

Uninstallation

If you do not like the new, sharp fonts and wish to revert to Ubuntu's default style of font rendering, simply remove the clearfonts package using the Ubuntu Software Center, Synaptic, or the following command in a terminal:

sudo aptitude remove clearfonts

To make sure everything is removed, also run the following command from a Terminal to remove the configuration file (if present):

sudo rm /etc/fonts/conf.d/39-clear.conf

Restart your computer to complete the process and restore your font rendering as it was before.

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Last Updated on Friday, 01 October 2010 08:25

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