[OpenIndiana-discuss] Font rendering

[Dmitry Kozhinov]

If anybody interested, I have found that in FreeType (including the 
latest v2.7), sub-pixel font smoothing is turned off by default - due to 
possible patent issues - see https://www.freetype.org/patents.html - 
scroll down to the last section of this page, and see:

"... By default, FreeType's scan-line converter returns ‘gray’ sub-pixel 
images ... You can override these limitations by activating option 
FT_CONFIG_OPTION_SUBPIXEL_RENDERING".

Using instructions from 
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/view/svn/general/freetype2.html , I 
have managed to enable sub-pixel font smoothing in Hipster, here's how:

Download freetype 2.7 source code, unpack.
In include/freetype/config/ftoption.h uncomment
FT_CONFIG_OPTION_SUBPIXEL_RENDERING
and make sure that SUBPIXEL_HINTING set to 2;

# ./configure --prefix=/usr --disable-static
# gmake
# gmake install

Now fonts are looking really smooth! (but not in Firefox due to some 
reason).
I'm using the following settings (right-click on desktop, select 
"Desktop Appearance...", click "Fonts" tab, click "Details" button, and 
select Smoothing: Subpixel (LCDs), and Hinting: Slight).