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There is a dependency on both the resolution and the physical size of your screen. Most automatic X configurations are unaware of your screen size, and so they get the screen dpi wrong, which in turn mucks up the font rendering.

How to fix?

http://www.mozilla.org/unix/dpi.html

"DPI Problem Solving

Both points and DPI either too small or too big are typically caused by a mismatch between your real display size and the display size your X server thinks you have. So, if you don't like Mozilla's UI font sizes, start to correct your problem by reconciling the two sizes. Measure your display, and change whatever settings are required to cause the X server to report and use the actual display size.

To find out what your X server thinks your DPI settings are, run the program xdpyinfo:

$ xdpyinfo | grep dimensions
$ xdpyinfo | grep resolution

Note the dimensions in pixels and millimeters, and the resolution in DPI. Compare to what you're actually using, but don't confuse dots and pixels - a dot may or may not equal a pixel. If you have KDE, kinfocenter's X-Server section will conveniently show the same information.

For example, if you use a 17" CRT display, your viewable screen dimensions will be approximately 328 mm wide by 246 mm tall. This actual size can usually be forced by adding:

DisplaySize 328 246

to

Section "Monitor"

in /etc/X11/XF86Config or /etc/X11/xorg.conf, as applicable on your system. If you are running a 1400 X 1050 resolution with a 328 mm X 246 mm display, your system will be running at an actual 108 DPI. In most cases, this change will be sufficient to correct your problem."

Don't forget that the DisplaySize numbers are in units of millimeters, and that the dimensions are entered as width first, then height of the display area of your display.

Getting this setting correct should fix any font size problems, and at the same time improve the look of the fonts on screen.

Another reference: http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Set_DPI_(Dots_Per_Inch)

Hope this helps.

Edited 2006-12-11 11:29