Take the 2-minute tour ×

Ubuntu includes the free commercial URW++ postscript fonts in /usr/share/fonts/type1/gsfonts (from the gsfonts package).

I've seen that the full set are also available in TrueType format (including several not in gsfonts, such as Garamond). If you download the ghostscript source, they're all there.

Is there any benefit to using the TrueType versions instead? Will the display improve? Will it affect printing?

share|improve this question
add comment

2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

Many people would argue that Postscript fonts are actually superior to TrueType. In fact, in a professional setting, Postscript and OpenType are used more frequently than TT. Advocates of TT argue that TT allows for better hinting (note that PS fonts can also have hinting), even though in many cases the popular fonts do not take full advantage of TT capabilities. PostScript fonts used to look jagged on vintage Windows machines without Adobe Type Manager, but that is the past.

Bottom line is, you will not notice much difference between the free TT and PS fonts, at least not in the price range you are paying.



share|improve this answer
In this instance, I think these TrueType fonts are probably just automatic conversions from the Postscript ones, since the Postscript fonts have been around now for years. –  teppic Sep 8 '12 at 19:38
As @January says, unless you notice "jaggies" (or obvious hinting or anti-aliasing failures) with a particular PS font, there is no reason to even try its TTF version. –  izx Sep 8 '12 at 21:18
@izx -- the TTF fonts are supposed to have better hinting, but in practice most of the free fonts perform no better and no worse than their PS counterparts. –  January Sep 8 '12 at 22:32
add comment

Truetype is implemented differently and therefore usually has more information (more positions recorded for the vectors) and therefore is not losslessly derivable from the Postscript/OpenType versions, though the reverse is not true. The benefit of TrueType is portability across systems.

share|improve this answer
add comment

Your Answer


