User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9.0.11) Gecko/2009061212 Iceweasel/3.0.6 (Debian-3.0.6-1) For probably better explanation please look at http://mail-index.netbsd.org/tech-x11/2009/06/07/msg000511.html although this is about netbsd, same seems to affect fedora as well. See reproducer below. Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. Install a minimal fedora system (unselect most stuff from the GUI installer) 2. yum install vnc-server xterm xorg-x11-twm vim-enhanced vim-X11 mc lynx emacs firefox subversion cvs libaio compat-libstdc++-33 "liberation-*-fonts" java-1.6.0-openjdk-devel 3. Locale be en_US.UTF-8 4. vncserver #that starts twm because no other window managers are available Actual Results: twm refuses to start with error: twm: unable to open fontset "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*" Expected Results: twm starts There are two ways I've fount to make twm work: 1. start like "LANG=C twm" 2. The fix in the email I pasted above didn't work for me but replacing /usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8 with /usr/share/X11/locale/C did fix the issue. That's why I believe the issue is closely related to what is described in the email.
Since this bugzilla report was filed, there have been several major updates in various components of the Xorg system, which may have resolved this issue. Users who have experienced this problem are encouraged to upgrade their system to the latest version of their packages. For packages from updates-testing repository you can use command yum upgrade --enablerepo='*-updates-testing' Alternatively, you can also try to test whether this bug is reproducible with the upcoming Fedora 12 distribution by downloading LiveMedia of F12 Beta available at http://alt.fedoraproject.org/pub/alt/nightly-composes/ . By using that you get all the latest packages without need to install anything on your computer. For more information on using LiveMedia take a look at https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FedoraLiveCD . Please, if you experience this problem on the up-to-date system, let us now in the comment for this bug, or whether the upgraded system works for you. If you won't be able to reply in one month, I will have to close this bug as INSUFFICIENT_DATA. Thank you. [This is a bulk message for all open Fedora Rawhide Xorg-related bugs. I'm adding myself to the CC list for each bug, so I'll see any comments you make after this and do my best to make sure every issue gets proper attention.]
I've tried this on Fedora 12 and also experience the same problem: $ twm twm: unable to open fontset "-adobe-helvetica-bold-r-normal--*-120-*-*-*-*-*-*" However, if I use the work around above and set LANG=C, twm will start.
On Fedora 12, added updates-testing repo and updated system. Problem unchanged. Tried LANG=C workaround but typo, entered LANG=c instead. It also worked but with error message: locale not supported by C library, locale unchanged but twm started OK.
This message is a reminder that Fedora 11 is nearing its end of life. Approximately 30 (thirty) days from now Fedora will stop maintaining and issuing updates for Fedora 11. It is Fedora's policy to close all bug reports from releases that are no longer maintained. At that time this bug will be closed as WONTFIX if it remains open with a Fedora 'version' of '11'. Package Maintainer: If you wish for this bug to remain open because you plan to fix it in a currently maintained version, simply change the 'version' to a later Fedora version prior to Fedora 11's end of life. Bug Reporter: Thank you for reporting this issue and we are sorry that we may not be able to fix it before Fedora 11 is end of life. If you would still like to see this bug fixed and are able to reproduce it against a later version of Fedora please change the 'version' of this bug to the applicable version. If you are unable to change the version, please add a comment here and someone will do it for you. Although we aim to fix as many bugs as possible during every release's lifetime, sometimes those efforts are overtaken by events. Often a more recent Fedora release includes newer upstream software that fixes bugs or makes them obsolete. The process we are following is described here: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/BugZappers/HouseKeeping
This message is a reminder that Fedora 12 is nearing its end of life. Approximately 30 (thirty) days from now Fedora will stop maintaining and issuing updates for Fedora 12. It is Fedora's policy to close all bug reports from releases that are no longer maintained. At that time this bug will be closed as WONTFIX if it remains open with a Fedora 'version' of '12'. Package Maintainer: If you wish for this bug to remain open because you plan to fix it in a currently maintained version, simply change the 'version' to a later Fedora version prior to Fedora 12's end of life. Bug Reporter: Thank you for reporting this issue and we are sorry that we may not be able to fix it before Fedora 12 is end of life. If you would still like to see this bug fixed and are able to reproduce it against a later version of Fedora please change the 'version' of this bug to the applicable version. If you are unable to change the version, please add a comment here and someone will do it for you. Although we aim to fix as many bugs as possible during every release's lifetime, sometimes those efforts are overtaken by events. Often a more recent Fedora release includes newer upstream software that fixes bugs or makes them obsolete. The process we are following is described here: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/BugZappers/HouseKeeping
Fedora 12 changed to end-of-life (EOL) status on 2010-12-02. Fedora 12 is no longer maintained, which means that it will not receive any further security or bug fix updates. As a result we are closing this bug. If you can reproduce this bug against a currently maintained version of Fedora please feel free to reopen this bug against that version. Thank you for reporting this bug and we are sorry it could not be fixed.
just for a heads up, installing liberation-mono-fonts fixed this for me.