How to make fonts in firefox look prettier? For example like in sleipnir
Hello, I wonder if there is a way to make fonts in firefox look smooth and easy to read? I've tried using Sleinpir browser (http://www.fenrir-inc.com/us/sleipnir/) which has aimed to provide smooth and readable text and almost every piece of text looks just better and more pleasant to read.
I've tried almost every setting both in Options dialog and in about:config (under gfx.font filter). Enabling rendering via directwrite helped a lot, but it's still nothing compared to Sleipnir.
Here are some screenshots:
Default firefox - http://s5.postimg.org/8ifmq7u7p/ff_default.png
Firefox with directwrite enabled - http://s5.postimg.org/k15xb3c1h/ff_directdraw.png
Sleipnir - http://s5.postimg.org/5w049a305/sleipnir_default.png
So is there a way to make fonts look this pretty in firefox? Is there any iniciative to make FF capable of such thing?
Thanks a lot
(EDIT: I've even tried instaling gdi++ https://code.google.com/p/gdipp/ alternative renderer for windows, but it doesn't seem to make any change in firefox)
Modified by stmr
Chosen solution
Ah, I unmarked it. In the source code there is a large amount of references to gdi being used: http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-centra.../ident?i=gfxGDIFontList and there are bugs saying it is used on Windows machines, but I am sure if you open up a bug with mention of incorporating it in the whole system.
Would a sleipnir-like add on be able to render those fonts instead?
Read this answer in context 👍 1All Replies (8)
hello stmr, you can try tweaking the font rendering in firefox with this addon: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/anti-aliasing-tuner/
Thanks, this one helps a bit, but it's still not even close to Sleipnir.
- https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fire.../?src=search
- http://www.askvg.com/how-to-enable-direct2d-directwrite-h...
- Firefox > Options > Advanced > General> enable hardware acceleration when available
- mozilla.widget.render-mode entry and set the value to 6 - this may only be in windows
Thanks for your reply, but as I've already written in the first post, I do have enabled the directwrite option. And I somehow don't get, how should font inspector help me, it only displays fonts used on website.
And I found that some special characters are being cut when fiddling with different types of rendering engine settings in anti-aliasing-tuner, so I returned to using default settings with DirectWrite.
By now I've used readability addons to make text more readable, but it's just not that pretty in most cases and definitely not that user friendly as having fonts rendered in readable way directly by browser and everywhere.
Okay, I've found another way to improve firefox fonts - I installed GDI++ (https://code.google.com/p/gdipp/) which helped a little more than simply enabling directWrite (it also solved problem with some letters being cut). It's way prettier now and way more pleasing for reader. But it's still far from Sleipnir :(
I will try to contant FF developers to get further information how (so I could probably make addon that does this) can it be done or if it's anything like this planned in the future.
Modified by stmr
Hi stmr, I am glad to hear that you are looking to contact FF developers to make an add on. For more information on this mdn has developers answering questions in stackoverflow.com
There is also documentation
If you have not already, please mark this thread as solved by marking the solution.
I hope you continue using our products and thank you for contacting Mozilla Support.
it's not solved, FF on its own doesn't render nice fonts at all. (IE/Chrome/Opera render them the same way). Enabling DirectWrite helps a bit, but it comes with many bugs.
The only way was to enable GDI++ rendering in whole system.
Even with that, it still looks totally ugly compared to sleipnir
Modified by stmr
Chosen Solution
Ah, I unmarked it. In the source code there is a large amount of references to gdi being used: http://mxr.mozilla.org/mozilla-centra.../ident?i=gfxGDIFontList and there are bugs saying it is used on Windows machines, but I am sure if you open up a bug with mention of incorporating it in the whole system.
Would a sleipnir-like add on be able to render those fonts instead?