Smaller font in RHEL 7?

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Do desktop fonts display differently in RHEL 7? I haven't been able to actually install it yet, but I loaded the installation DVD just to get a sense of what it looks like. It looks to me like things have changed!

One of the best things about RHEL 6 is the easy-to-read fonts. It is far better than, for example, Debian wheezy. However RHEL 7 fonts in the installation interface look different from RHEL 6, and not in a good way.

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If there is a difference, then I imagine it has to do with the (unfortunate) transition to GNOME 3.

I've noticed this as well. I have searched google and don't see any solution to it. The fonts in rhel 7 are horrible in things like the browser and Zimbra desktop. Anyone know of a solution?

Fonts can be selected and adjusted via the Tweak Tool. Press the Super key and type Tweak.
Select the tool and then select Fonts.

See also: Desktop Migration and Administration Guide, fonts section

Okay, I found that if you just get off the 11 point size and choose even numbers it improves things a lot. Choose size 10 or 12 in the tweak tool and see what you guys think. It is much better.

Glad you were able to improve this with the tweak, Alex. What was the issue with displaying them in size 11? Are you able to provide a screenshot to illustrate the problem you were seeing?

How are you finding the desktop in RHEL 7 otherwise? Any other issues we can help out with?

Hi David,

I had to start a new thread to upload a few PNG files for the example. See:

https://access.redhat.com/discussions/1214683

In the screen shots look at the Zimbra desktop email application. Specifically look at the "sent" folder text (before) image. Notice how the "e" is difficult to read. How it is smashed it the "s" and separated from the "n". So this is not so great kerning and the font itself is not all that clear to read.

If you adjust the font to 10pt or 12pt, and take the hinting settings from "medium" down to "slight" you can improve the readability of that default font. I changed the sans fonts to DejaVu as I think it is a better font overall. So my tweak tool settings show a before and after and I also show a Zimbra desktop before and after so you can see the difference in readability.

Now if you look at the Zimbra (after) screen shot, note the same "sent" folder text. The kerning is much improved and it is much easier to read.

Hope that helps anyone else who notices this issue. Surprised not to see it discussed more. Was the first thing I noticed.

Question:

How are you finding the desktop in RHEL 7 otherwise? Any other issues we can help out with?

RHEL 7 is okay so far. I see you have a classic mode by default but the classic mode doesn't offer a simple app launcher like GNOME 2 in rhel 6.5. That would be a good option to have.

I'm not too fond of the new GNOME 3 so far. I can get used to it, but I guess I don't understand why we're doing this. It seems to me it takes more steps to do what I could do in GNOME 2, which feels like a step backward, not forward --unless you intend this to eventually work on a touch display. Then it makes a lot more sense.

I think perhaps too many people give way too much credit to Steve Jobs and his belief that tablet will be the norm. Perhaps for consumers consuming content that might be true. But for the rest of us who actually need a desktop computer, the mouse, keyboard and non-touch display are very much alive and well and will remain that way. Gnome 2 is very good at what it does. My terminal window has a menu built right into the terminal. Each window has it's own tools. The desktop should not be thought of as a single task. Again, for a tablet and touch screen that works. But this isn't a tablet. It's a Linux desktop. I personally don't see the point in trying to turn RHEL into an iPad. Again, if that's where this is going.

Consumers want an entertainment device. VCRs, TiVo, iPhone and iPad. That's a market, but it shouldn't be the Linux market. We're the guys that do the back end. I personally like GNOME 2.

I'll get used to it I guess. Just don't see the point of it.

I can't agree with you more, Alex.

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