The vte-0.16.12-1.fc8 update in updates-testing seems to make fonts in gnome-terminal a lot less crisp than they are with the current vte (0.16.9-1.fc8). I'll attach screenshots for comparison.
Created attachment 293242 [details] snippet from the vte NEWS file, using vte-0.16.9-1.fc8
Created attachment 293243 [details] snippet from the vte NEWS file, using vte-0.16.12-1.fc8
How does your gedit render the monospace font at the same size? Do you have custom settings in your ~/.fonts.conf?
Gedit seems to do fine. Both gedit and gnome-terminal are set to use the default monospace font. I'll attach my ~/.fonts.conf. I don't think there's anything crazy in there, but you'll likely know better than I if something is amiss. Also, in case it may be useful, here's what I have set in gconf /desktop/gnome/font_rendering: rgba_order = vrgb antialiasing = rgba dpi = 100 hinting = full
Created attachment 293537 [details] ~/.fonts.conf
You shouldn't do that. Set your font options from gnome-font-properties. I wonder why your gedit is rendering fine though. Can you attach shots of both?
I've never written ~/.fonts.conf manually. I just assumed that file was placed there by gnome-font-properties. I don't believe I have used any other gui tool to tweak the font settings. And this is a fresh F8 install with a clean /home. I guess deleting that file be a good thing to test. I will let you know if I do so and notice any relevant differences.
Created attachment 293543 [details] gedit with vte-0.16.9-1.fc8
Created attachment 293544 [details] gedit with vte-0.16.12-1.fc8
I'm totally puzzled now. 1) No, gnome-font-properties is not supposed to write a ~/.fonts.conf. Is it a fresh F8 with no home directory carried over?!?! 2) gedit obviously has subpixel rendering enabled, but the two vte shots don't. Just remove the fonts.conf and reattach all three shots please.
Behdad, Apologies for the delay in responding. I did find that removing ~/.fonts.conf fixed the problem. I also found that it is created automatically when the KDE control center's (kcontrol) font pane is open (whether or not any changes are made or the control center is closed without applying). I'm not sure if I'd ever opened that previously. I don't use many KDE applications, occasionally K3B. I tried opening K3B and poking through it's dialogs to see if that would cause any KDE processes to re-recreate ~/.fonts.conf, but none did. I don't know much about fontconfig. Should kcontrol not be creating ~/.fonts.conf?
Thanks. Forwarded this upstream to keep track of: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=517385