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Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one!

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David Wright composed on 2016-09-08 09:08 (UTC-0500):

> On Thu 08 Sep 2016 at 04:36:42 (-0400), Felix Miata wrote:

>> Nicolas George composed on 2016-09-08 10:07 (UTC+0200):

>> >Felix Miata composed:

>> >>The simplest way is to direct KMS's framebuffer to use a lower resolution
>> >>than the native hi-res one by including a video= parameter on the kernel
>> >>cmdline. The lower the resolution, the larger the standard (usually 16x9)
>> >>framebuffer font becomes. On a 1920x1200 display I typically use
>> >>video=1440x900@60; on a 1920x1080, 1280x720@60; depending on size of display
>> >>and actual resolutions it supports. Using video=1920x1080 on a 2560x1440
>> >>display should produce a font 177% of the physical size of the one used
>> >>natively.

>> >It may be ONE OF THE simplest ways, but it a very bad one: screen have a
>> >native resolution, operating at a different one requires scaling: the
>> >resulting text will be much less readable than with the better solution of
>> >using a larger font.

>> Have you ever tried it? Default framebuffer fonts are quite
>> adaptable to different resolutions, as they are generally produced
>> with many more pix than typical GUI fonts. All that extra size
>> enhances readability, compensating rather nicely for the loss in
>> apparent resolution.

> You can play with framebuffers and kernel drivers all you like.
> What you cannot do is alter the layout of pixels on the screen.

Absolutely true.

> If you don't use a resolution that matches those pixels exactly,
> nothing you do can compensate.

False. The difference from one resolution to the next is easily lost if the 
screen resolution is beyond the resolving power of the eyes.

> You are deluding yourself if you think you can.

Been doing it for years. One factor is called natural optical deterioration. 
There's a limit to resolving power that typically gets worse with age. It's a 
primary reason why complaints are ever made about tiny fonts accompanying 
increased pixel density.

Another factor has to do with screen size and distance, not necessarily 
caused by deterioration, but because of eyes never that good to begin with, 
and corrective lenses that do a better job at particular focal lengths. Too 
close and pixels can become apparent and bothersome. More distance can work 
better.

IOW:

1-Don't knock it if you haven't tried it. By this I don't mean tried only on 
Debian installations either. The default framebuffer font of Debian and its 
derivatives is very commonly different from non-Debian distros, represented 
by the spindly ugly thing used by Ubuntu. Without Plymouth, one can typically 
see the initial font during post is much bolder, changing somewhere along the 
way to the desktop or login prompt to a much lighter stroked variety. If all 
you've ever seen is the lightweight, try a (Debian) Knoppix CD or DVD and 
you'll see what Fedora and openSUSE users see by default (TerminusBold?) on 
their framebuffers, a font that's nicely bold and forgiving of non-optimal 
screen resolution.

2-Don't expect just because you decide it's not for you that it can't be for 
anyone else.

3-Lowered resolution for the framebuffers does not necessarily dictate 
resolution for Xorg. For the past couple of years or so, if using the Intel 
Xorg driver, Xorg will default to the cmdline video= directive, in contrast 
to nouveau and radeon sticking to native by default, but this can be overcome 
via xrandr or xorg.con* or the DE. I normally configure them differently, 
native for Xorg, reduced for framebuffer.

4-I'm not suggesting font reconfiguration can't be appropriate, only that 
there may be an easier way that is quite suitable, particularly for a machine 
that is shared among people with diverse visual acuity.
-- 
"The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant
words are persuasive." Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Translation)

  Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/

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Thread

Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Mayuresh Kathe <mayuresh@kathe.in> - 2016-09-05 18:10 +0200
  Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Nicolas George <george@nsup.org> - 2016-09-05 18:40 +0200
  Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Stephen Powell <zlinuxman@fastmail.com> - 2016-09-05 18:50 +0200
    Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Stephen Powell <zlinuxman@fastmail.com> - 2016-09-08 06:10 +0200
      Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2016-09-08 10:10 +0200
        Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Nicolas George <george@nsup.org> - 2016-09-08 10:10 +0200
          Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2016-09-08 10:40 +0200
            Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Nicolas George <george@nsup.org> - 2016-09-08 10:50 +0200
            Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-09-08 16:20 +0200
              Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2016-09-08 19:00 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-09-13 20:50 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2016-09-14 11:50 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-09-15 06:10 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2016-09-15 11:20 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! rhkramer@gmail.com - 2016-09-15 13:30 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-09-15 18:00 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2016-09-18 08:00 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-09-15 18:00 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Ric Moore <wayward4now@gmail.com> - 2016-09-14 17:20 +0200
                Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-09-15 06:10 +0200
  Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-09-05 19:10 +0200
    Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-09-05 19:40 +0200
      Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Jude DaShiell <jdashiel@panix.com> - 2016-09-05 19:50 +0200
        Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2016-09-05 20:10 +0200
      Re: Debian Jessie : regular console instead of a hi-res one! Mayuresh Kathe <mayuresh@kathe.in> - 2016-09-05 20:30 +0200

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