Ubuntu: Don't replace Ubuntu Font with Bitstream Vera [feature request]

[salim-b]

I don't like Bitstream Vera replacing (in large parts) the default Ubuntu system font. Would it be possible for the Ubuntu packages to provide a "neutered" version of the Ubuntu Fonts which don't include the emoji codepoints instead of Bitstream Vera?

Issue #72 seems (loosely) related.

[13rac1]

First, I've been distract with other projects, but this project is deprecated. See #71

The default system font on Ubuntu 16.04 is DejaVu. It is literally just a version of Bitstream Vera with additional codepoints. [src]

The DejaVu fonts are modifications of the Bitstream Vera fonts designed for greater coverage of Unicode, as well as providing more styles.

You may be using a different font? If so, newer versions of fontconfig support specific a specific emoji font family. It may fix this issue. I plan to upgrade: twemoji-color-font to support it.

In general, this entire project was about half fighting fontconfig. I wish emoji-less fonts were standard as they are on Win/Mac.

[salim-b]

this project is deprecated

Thanks for the hint, I didn't realize that.

The default system font on Ubuntu 16.04 is DejaVu.

Well, that's not true (at least not for most latin-character languages). The default system font in Ubuntu 16.04 actually is Ubuntu (and this has been the case since version 10.10).

The result of installing emojione-color-font is a weird mix of still retaining the Ubuntu font in some places (like window decorations, dashboard/hud etc.) but at the same time introducing Bitstream Vera for everything else like the texts inside system pop-ups, Firefox browser etc. It doesn't look good...

newer versions of fontconfig support a specific emoji font family. It may fix this issue. I plan to upgrade: twemoji-color-font to support it.

Sounds promising! I don't really know about fontconfig and stuff, but do I understand you right that after this planned upgrade no system font gets replaces by Bitstream Vera anymore and twemoji-color-font would only be used to display emojis?

[13rac1]

The default system font in Ubuntu 16.04 actually is Ubuntu (and this has been the case since version 10.10).

In the GUI. Ubuntu is your the default Application font. The system font is DejaVu. :) Try it yourself.

$ fc-match -s | head -n5
Vera.ttf: "Bitstream Vera Sans" "Roman"
TwitterColorEmoji-SVGinOT.ttf: "Twitter Color Emoji" "Regular"
DejaVuSans.ttf: "DejaVu Sans" "Book"
DejaVuSans-Bold.ttf: "DejaVu Sans" "Bold"
DejaVuSans-Oblique.ttf: "DejaVu Sans" "Oblique"

Ubuntu isn't even listed. Can you provide a screenshot of this weird mix? You may want to install the updated fontconfig in #83 (it'll be part of the final release, I'll handle it this week)

I understand you right that after this planned upgrade no system font gets replaces by Bitstream Vera anymore and twemoji-color-font would only be used to display emojis?

Bitstream Vera will continue to replace DejaVu AFAIK, but they are the same glyphs so it doesn't matter.

[salim-b]

In the GUI. Ubuntu is your the default Application font. The system font is DejaVu.

Ok... Since I'm not really proficient in font related stuff I tried to google the difference between system font and application font – but without success. It's everywhere said that the system font in Ubuntu would be the Ubuntu font family (and nothing particular about an application font).

Try it yourself.

I get the the same result as you (except that the 2nd entry is EmojiOneColor-SVGinOT.ttf, of course). But does this command really produce the same before installing emojione-color-font/twemoji-color-font?

Can you provide a screenshot of this weird mix?

Below's a screenshot. It seems to be only Firefox and Thunderbird where the Ubuntu font was replaced with Bitstream Vera. I guess I was wrong stating that Bitstream Vera would also be inside system pop-ups (I thought I've seem some but couldn't replicate it anymore – maybe it was just a Thunderbird calendar reminder pop-up).

You may want to install the updated fontconfig in #83 (it'll be part of the final release, I'll handle it this week)

If your final release will land this soon, I'll just wait 🙂 Thank you anyway!

[13rac1]

It does:

$ sudo apt-get remove fonts-twemoji-svginot 
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  fonts-twemoji-svginot
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 50 not upgraded.
After this operation, 9,153 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] 
(Reading database ... 582918 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing fonts-twemoji-svginot (1.2-1) ...
Processing triggers for fontconfig (2.11.94-0ubuntu1.1) ...
$ fc-match -s | head -n3
DejaVuSans.ttf: "DejaVu Sans" "Book"
DejaVuSans-Bold.ttf: "DejaVu Sans" "Bold"
DejaVuSans-Oblique.ttf: "DejaVu Sans" "Oblique"

Please try the config listed in the other issue.

[salim-b]

Please try the config listed in the other issue.

Ok, I've patched /etc/fonts/conf.avail/56-emojione-color.conf with the diff provided by jorgicio. What do I have to do now to have the new conf take effect?

[13rac1]

Generally the system will automatically pick up the change, but if not log out/in should cover it. If there's no change, then restart. If still no change, then there's a separate issue.

[salim-b]

The new conf file seems to fix the issue with the Mozilla apps: After a reboot everything's back to the Ubuntu fonts again! 🎉