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How is FreeType intrinsically better than the Windows font renderer? Microsoft has the advantage of subpixel font rendering (aka ClearType) although admittedly
by jbarham 16y ago
How is FreeType intrinsically better than the Windows font renderer? Microsoft has the advantage of subpixel font rendering (aka ClearType) although admittedly that because it's patented (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subpixel_rendering#Patents http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subpixel_rendering#Patents).
- old-gregg 16y agoBecause FreeType does it too, in fact FreeType employs every single trick there is: bytecode interpreter, hinting, subpixel rendering, etc. But it has an advantage of being configurable i.e. it doesn't follow "all size fits all" path. Slight hinting + subpixel smoothing with enabled bytecode interpretation yields incredible output on high-DPI screens. However, IIRC there's a Microsoft-made utility that allows you to tinker with ClearType settings making it more high-DPI friendly as well (doesn't come with Windows but search for it on their site)
- ugh 16y agoI think the tool comes with Windows, at least Windows 7. I recently installed Windows 7 and could tinker with how Cleartype looks right away. It's a quite nice interface, you get six different example texts and repeatedly click on which looks best to you. I don't know how Ubuntu does that but if it doesn't do it like that it already lost by default. In the unlikely case that normal users stumble upon the adjustment tool they might even click on what they like best. They will never diddle with knobs or checkboxes.
- mgedmin 16y agoIt has the cost of being highly configurable. I could make the same font (Verdana) look much better on Linux than on Windows, by fiddling with dpi/hinting/subpixel rendering settings. And I could make it look worse. It was much easier to make it look worse. I had to spend a lot of time fiddling with the settings until I hit the jackpot.
- koenigdavidmj 16y agoFreeType has enabled the bytecode interpreter; those patents have all expired. http://www.freetype.org/patents.html http://www.freetype.org/patents.html Unless you are talking about a different set of patents.
- koenigdavidmj 16y agoLooks like it is too late to edit my own comment. There are indeed two bunches of patents: Apple's (bytecode interpreter) have expired, but Microsoft's (ClearType's subpixel rendering method) have not.