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Anti Aliasing isn't the end-all be-all of fonts. What matters is to have good fonts to begin with. If you go get the Microsoft ttf fonts and install them, you'll be much better off in programs that don't support anti-aliasing (easily) like Mozilla. Moz. is infinitely usable and looks just like Moz. Win32 if you use the same fonts.

I mention that because he complains about anti-aliasing, especially in Mozilla, both on the 10 things needing fixing page, and on the Top N Things That Have Been Solved page.

Microsoft core TTFs are available here: MS TTFs

Install guides and scripts are available several places: http://www-uxsup.csx.cam.ac.uk/~jw35/docs/ms-fonts .html, http://www.linux.org/docs/ldp/howto/mini/TT-Debian -7.html, http://linux.org.mt/article/ttfonts.

The best script to auto-install to RedHat that I've found is here, he has lots of other goodies to boot: http://www.linuxquebec.com/~nomis80/

Fact 1: Hinting improves font legibility at smaller sizes.

Fact 2: Freetype doesn't interpret the bytecodes in the fonts that are needed for proper hinting because of patents detained by Apple.

Fact 3: It uses an alternative bytecode "guesser". People may or may not like it, even though it usually improves legibility. This Canadian dude (I have the right to use this term because I am myself a Canadian dude ;)) only disabled the bytecode "guesser" because he didn't like it. Fine.

Fact 4: Rather than disabling the bytecode "guesser", enable the patented bytecode interpreter. Remember, this is illegal if you live in the U.S. and haven't licenced the patents from Apple.

For your enjoyment, I've made RPMs for Mandrake 8.1 and Redhat 7.2 of the Freetype library with the patented bytecode interpreter enabled.

Fact 1: Hinting improves font legibility at smaller sizes.

Fact 2: Freetype doesn't interpret the bytecodes in the fonts that are needed for proper hinting because of patents detained by Apple.

Fact 3: It uses an alternative bytecode "guesser". People may or may not like it, even though it usually improves legibility. This Canadian dude (I have the right to use this term because I am myself a Canadian dude ;)) only disabled the bytecode "guesser" because he didn't like it. Fine.

Fact 4: Rather than disabling the bytecode "guesser", enable the patented bytecode interpreter. Remember, this is illegal if you live in the U.S. and haven't licenced the patents from Apple.

For your enjoyment, I've made RPMs for Mandrake 8.1 and Redhat 7.2 of the Freetype library with the patented bytecode interpreter enabled.

Fact 1: Hinting improves font legibility at smaller sizes.

Fact 2: Freetype doesn't interpret the bytecodes in the fonts that are needed for proper hinting because of patents detained by Apple.

Fact 3: It uses an alternative bytecode "guesser". People may or may not like it, even though it usually improves legibility. This Canadian dude (I have the right to use this term because I am myself a Canadian dude ;)) only disabled the bytecode "guesser" because he didn't like it. Fine.

Fact 4: Rather than disabling the bytecode "guesser", enable the patented bytecode interpreter. Remember, this is illegal if you live in the U.S. and haven't licenced the patents from Apple.

For your enjoyment, I've made RPMs for Mandrake 8.1 and Redhat 7.2 of the Freetype library with the patented bytecode interpreter enabled.

The parent post has an incorrect link; Simon's freetype rpm for RH 7.2 is here, and a Mandrake 8.1 build is also available. Bonne travaille, ami!

The parent post has an incorrect link; Simon's freetype rpm for RH 7.2 is here, and a Mandrake 8.1 build is also available. Bonne travaille, ami!

As a reply to the comment on broken TrueType fonts on new Debian versions, I'd like to say that this happens on many other distros. The new RedHat 7.2 exhibited the same lower TrueType rendering quality over 7.1 as the new Debian. This is due to three patents that Apple filed concerning interpretation of TrueType bytecodes that are used for hinting small size characters. The FreeType project introduced in a configuration header a directive to disable/enable the patented bytecode interpreter. It comes disabled by default. Turning it on and recompiling may be considered infringement of Apple's patents if you haven't licensed them.

Anyway, for those who can legally use it (ie. you don't live in the USA or have licensed Apple's patents), I've compiled FreeType with the patented bytecode interpreter enabled and made a RedHat 7.2 RPM which is available right here. This drastically improves the readability of antialiased fonts. Enjoy!