Fonts in OSX

[roli]

So I installed Osx on my PC and it is working just fine. But I have a question about fonts. Is it possibile to have fonts like this in OSX and firefox?

 

 

This is from linux and I realy like this. In OSX I have some options about font smothing but I wan't something like this. Is it possibile?

[Oracle67]

Evry intividual program have a number of languages support.

You gonna have Firefox in your language.

[roli]

It is not about Language!

 

It is about how fonts look like! I wan't that but I can't get it because font smoothing is stupid in OSX.

[Headrush69]

What font smoothing setting are you using?

 

OS X can do none, anti-aliasing and subpixel + antialiasing.

 

(Standard is anti-aliasing only

(Medium and Strong do both)

 

Without the same screenshot in OS X its hard to see the problem, looks fine here.

[roli]

Sorry I will post settings and all tomorrow.

[Headrush69]

Nice read here explaining why they are different: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2007/06/12.html and

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000885.html

 

Although these are comparing Apple's font smoothing technique with ClearType, Linux uses several of the same techniques.

You'll have to tell us what method your current Linux distro is set to use. (It's not universal in Linux)

 

This is usually true:

Now, on to the question of what people prefer. Jeff Atwood's post from yesterday comparing the two font technologies side-by-side generated rather predictable heat: Apple users liked Apple's system, while Windows users liked Microsoft's system. This is not just standard fanboyism; it reflects the fact that when you ask people to choose a style or design that they prefer, unless they are trained, they will generally choose the one that looks most familiar.

there really is no single best way to render fonts; results depend on your display, the particular font you're using, and many other factors.

[Azurael]

There seems to be a huge division on Apple's font smoothing; an issue that was really highlighted by the release of Safari for Windows, which brought Apple's font smoothing to the attention of far more people. Personally, I love it; I think it looks a lot more like 'real', printed text and find it far more comfortable to read but some say it just looks blurry to them... Linux has quite nice font smoothing these days but (to buck the trend) I really don't like ClearType, which seems to distort the shape of the fount quite a lot and if anything makes it less readable than non-antialiased text on some LCDs! And I say to buck the trend because I use Windows 90% of the time these days!

 

Anyway, I don't really know what you can do in OS X aside from turning it off if you don't like it... Sorry, it seems Apple is not in favor of user choice in many circumstances!

[roli]

I have this in OSX:

But I want that what I have in Linux. In linux I am using subpixel hinting without RGB or BGR. On Suse 10.0 I am using subpixel hinitng with grey setting (not RGB or BGR) but in PClinuxOS I have Subpixel hinting without anything. In OSX i am using automatic because it gives me best results. If I chose light, medium or strong setting I have this stupid rainbow around text. Same problem is in Windows because cleartype gives me nice fonts but it creates rainbow around text and that is sooo BAD! And I am using monitors native resolution (LCD).

[Headrush69]

I have this in OSX:

But I want that what I have in Linux. In linux I am using subpixel hinting without RGB or BGR. On Suse 10.0 I am using subpixel hinitng with grey setting (not RGB or BGR) but in PClinuxOS I have Subpixel hinting without anything. In OSX i am using automatic because it gives me best results. If I chose light, medium or strong setting I have this stupid rainbow around text. Same problem is in Windows because cleartype gives me nice fonts but it creates rainbow around text and that is sooo BAD! And I am using monitors native resolution (LCD).

Its the subpixel that makes those rainbow of colours, not anti-aliasing. If you use the light setting you should not be getting that rainbow effect as it uses anti-aliasing only. (grayshades)

 

You do know you have to log out and back in for the changes to take effect? (Same idea as restarting the X server in Linux)

 

(If Suse is using subpixel hinting, its using RGB or BGR)

 

I don't see a big difference in those two shots.

 

Here is the same word zoomed from both examples:

Looks like there are both just using anti-aliasing. I don't see the "rainbow" which is a result of subppixel hinting.

 

(From my Linux experience I found that often even though the settings might suggest a certain pixel hinting was on, a lot of times it wasn't and manual corrections had to be made in the appropriate config files)

 

Other than working with the options there, your best bet might be turning anti-aliasing and subpixel hinting off and overriding the fonts choice to use more optimized screen variants.

[roli]

I am sorry on Light there is no rainbow but in medium and hard there is.

 

On Suse I am using grayscale subpixel hinting (not RGB or BGR but grayscale).

[Headrush69]

I am sorry on Light there is no rainbow but in medium and hard there is.

Sorry those are the only options.

 

On Suse I am using grayscale subpixel hinting (not RGB or BGR but grayscale).

Technically there is no such thing as grayscale subpixel hinting.

 

anti-aliasing uses grayscales to soften the abrupt edges caused by pixels being forced to the pixel grid.

 

On screen pixels are made up of 3 individual subpixels red, green, and blue to form a single pixel. (each can only display that specific color)

These pixels are arranged RGB or BGR, horizontal or vertical.

Because of the way the eyes focus you can manipulate the intensities of these individual colours to create the effect of modifying the font shape. This is what subpixel hinting does. The effectiveness varies among people.

(I know crude explanation, many better resources on the net)

 

So you can combing anti-aliasing with subpixel hinting.

In your case sounds like the colours bother you so you should stick with just anti-aliasing, which is the light setting.

 

Although there are differences between the implementations in OS X, Windows, and Linux, if it is doing sub-pixel hinting in Linux you should notice colours there also. (Maybe not at much, but still some.)

Of course that's unless something has greatly changed in the last year since I left Linux. I also thought Suse was especially careful about not enabling gray area patent things like MP3s by default and was sure Keith Packard mentioned the same for some of the font improvements we are talking about?

 

Edit: Found a few good links if your interested.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Font_rasterization
  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subpixel_rendering