Linux equivalent of Microsoft Cleartype?

[Xtreem Slacker]

I've already set anti-aliasing for my fonts, but at least in Konqueror, text is really fuzzy on my laptop. It's like looking through frosted glass. A search for Cleartype in the forums yielded no results. Thanks to all who reply.

[hal8000]

See if this post helps you

http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29007

there are some great ideas in the tips section.
I also find nimbus sans is a great looking font to use.

[Xtreem Slacker]

Thanks for the link you suggested, hal8000.

Unfortunately, the results were sort of "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."

RE: Fonts, I changed the default for anti-aliasing from "System Settings" to "Enabled".
I don't see that choice and, as I mentioned in my original post, I already have anti-aliasing enabled.

RE: sudo dpkg-reconfigure fontconfig-config
Well, I ran that in a Konsole window (I'm obviously running KDE). I wasn't presented with a choice when I got to "the last question, I say NO to Bitmapped font support." Since all I was presented with was an OK button, I just closed the Konsole window because I couldn't say NO. There may have been more after the Bitmapped font support; I don't know.

It seems that the 5.1.1 I'm running from a CD iso works differently than the 5.3.1 on the DVD iso. I'm going to download the DVD iso this weekend.

I now think my problem with fuzzy fonts is that I can't get into the native resolution on my LCD display, viz. 1280x800. When I try the "Display" settings under Control Center/Peripherals, I'm not presented with a choice bigger than 1024x768. Using the cheat code Knoppix "screen=1280x800" doesn't work.

After I get the DVD iso running, I'll have man and other help available, so maybe I'll find something to read that'll tell me how to set my screen to 1280x800.

I haven't looked at the Tips on the forum yet. I've found that searching forums usually yields in excess of 99% irrelevant posts.

[hal8000]

It may be a problem with the display driver for your laptop. 1280x800 is widescreen format, my HP laptop also uses this resolution and looked ugly until I installed the i915 driver for the Intel chipset.
What graphics chipset does your laptop use? You may also be able to find some help by searching linux on laptops on google.

[Xtreem Slacker]

I think I have the Intel 945GM chipset, but right now I can't find out how to find that out. It's something I remember but don't know how to find. The best I can come up with in m$info32 is:

Mobile Intel(R) 955XM/945GM/PM/GMS/940GML Express PCI Express

I tried following the advice at http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26914 but after a whole lot of downloading, I got a bunch of errors. Since I run off a CD, I wouldn't be able to keep the setup for the chipset anyway.

Linux looks like some sort of hardware hell. While I don't like Micro$oft, getting the right driver going is much easier in Window$ than in Linux. I hardly ever have to use a command window in Window$; the first advice I often see in Linux forums is "open a command window." Almost all hardware (except some very Apple stuff) has just the right Window$ driver. When I read about people's problems with hardware in Linux, it seems they usually have to fiddle and twiddle to end up with a only a fraction of the functionality available in Window$ for the same hardware item.

The Knoppix CD was just a pursuit of my curiosity. Linux, like Window$, suffers from idiosyncrasies. (For example, I don't have a floppy drive in my laptop, but get a floppy icon on my KDE desktop.) I'll see how it goes after I download the DVD iso. I didn't intend to make a re-mastered optical disc to boot off of; I just intended to satisfy my curiosity.

Thanks for all your suggestions to date.