fonts: what is a "point" in Linux/Gnome?

[Richard Gaskin]

Before I trudged off to the Gnome Usability List with my questions, I 
figured I owed it to them and myself to first dig up what I can on my 
own.  Glad I did - here are some highlights:


[Usability] Gnome is Too BIG..
<http://mail.gnome.org/archives/usability/2008-March/msg00010.html>

Gnome is too big, indeed.
<http://panospace.wordpress.com/2008/03/23/gnome-is-too-big-indeed/>

Default font size too large if using native DPI
<https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-control-center/+bug/310353>

The note there in comment #67 explains the Firefox "anomaly":

     Web browsers use pixel-based preferences for arcane reasons
     that made a lot of sense in 1999 but that are making steadily
     less sense over time. They'll probably switch to points a few
     years after OSes do.


So at least I'm not alone in my observations about Gnome, and it seems 
it is indeed a Gnome issue and not specific to Ubuntu.

What I haven't found is how/if the Gnome team will attempt to resolve 
this.  There are some serious backward compatibility issues at stake, so 
I appreciate the many reports filed against this marked "Won't Fix".

Over the long term we can expect the Gnome team to come up with 
something clever, Firefox will migrate to points over pixels, and Rev 
will improve its GTK support to go along for the ride.

In the short term, I'll just use 12-point fonts with more 
conventionally-sized controls than most Gnome apps, so I can ship on 
time at the relatively small cost of a handful of users who won't be 
grateful that I'm making better use of their screen real estate. :)

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World
  Rev training and consulting: http://www.fourthworld.com
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