KDE's overall look and appearance

[tharsan]

I've been looking into this issue for a while now, and I can't figure out why my desktop linux looks so ugly... well, the fonts anyway.

I'm running SimplyMEPIS 2004.06 on my IBM ThinkPad T40 and I've installed the MS TrueType fonts.
Even with font anti-aliasing enabled, my fonts just look ugly, especially in Mozilla FireFox (the browser renders web sites satisfactorily, but the application's fonts are tiny, and I can't seem to figure out how to change that).

I see alot of screenshots on sites like KDE-Look and they look so purty, really gives Windows a run for its money, but I just can't seem to get mine to look that way.

I've installed the latest X.org as well, using apt-get, but that didn't seem to make any difference at all.

For some example screenshots, check out the screenshots for the PlastikQ theme - I am so jealous of desktops that look like that!

Any ideas on making linux look purty? Is it just me, or do I need SuSE to make my Linux more usable? (Seems like most of those impressive screenshots are running SuSE, which ships with X.org on SuSE 9.2)

Thanks

[UgoDeschamps]

Have you installed the theme and "choose" it as default theme?
Go into the kde control center and choose the LookNFeel option. In there, you will be a ble to change/modify current visual theme.

[Flatline]

You can also adjust your fonts in the Control Center.

For adjusting fonts in firefox, go to Edit --> Preferences. In the "General" tab, there is a button for "Fonts and Colors"

[IsaacKuo]

With an LCD display like a laptop, you should turn on "sub-pixel rendering" in KDE Control Center.

Firefox is a GtK app, rather than a KDE app, so it will need to have its fonts configured separately. I haven't played around with GtK font configuration that much, but there are some really thorough How-To's out there.