All versions of MS windows support a desktop "font smoothing" setting.
This controls how Windows anti-aliases text. In addition XP allows a user
to choose the font smoothing algorithm, one value being the standard setting,
the other being appropriate for LCD display technology.

To properly emulate the L&F of the native desktop, Swing needs to read
and obey these settings, to the fullest extent that the JDK can support.

I believe AWT needs to provide this information via the desktop
properties and Swing read it and use it to set the TEXT_ANTIALIASING hint on
all Swing component graphics. The AWT RFE is 4808569


###@###.### 2003-03-06

CAP member reports the same problem:
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J2SE Version (please include all output from java -version flag):
  java version "1.4.2-beta"
  Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.4.2-beta-b16)
  Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.4.2-beta-b16, mixed mode)

Does this problem occur on J2SE 1.3 or 1.4?
  Not applicable.

Operating System Configuration Information (be specific):
  Stock Redhat Linux 8.0
 
Hardware Configuration Information (be specific):
  Compaq Armada (i.e. notebook with LCD monitor).

Bug Description:
  The GTK+ L&F doesn't respect font smoothing settings, which may make the
  default font totally illegible. The Java VM also doesn't seem to pick up
  fonts from e.g. ~/.fonts like all the "real" GTK+ apps do these days on
  Redhat. This can, of course, also trigger a font mismatch.

  Their customers dont use the the "default font" in gnome at all since it
  cannot be reliably rendered - and rather go for the oldfashioned GTK1 look
  and current behaviour (displaying an illegible font) is quite broken.
  Swing won't look like the rest of gnome anyway when anti-aliasing is on in
  the latter, so it might at least be usable...

  Ideally, of course, Java would use Xft2 and Fontconfig directly under X
  (where available).

  As a stop gap measure, perhaps it would be better to avoid trying to use
  the same font as GTK+ when font smoothing is activated, and go for a
  known, legible font instead in this case.


Steps to Reproduce (be specific):
  Choose "Sans 8" (or, even worse, "Sans 7") in Gnome's "Font Preferences"
  panel, as well as "Subpixel smooting (LCDs)". Run SwingSet2, choose GTK+
  L&F. Texts becomes illegible, and looks absolutely nothing at all like
  the original.