Removing tons of fonts !

[Flemur]

I removed a few hundred font files and - so far - everything is working, including grub menu and console (Ctrl+Alt+Fn).

This is what remains:

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$ du -d 2 /usr/share/fonts
2820	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu
5916	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/croscore
4076	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ubuntu
2092	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation
22428	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/msfonts
37336	/usr/share/fonts/truetype
37340	/usr/share/fonts

If you do something like this by removing files rather than removing packages, which won't work anyway, run sudo fc-cache -fv afterwards.

[DAMIEN1307]

hi flemur...try these font removals to see what really is left remaining...DAMIEN

Remove Rarely Used Fonts:

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sudo apt-get -y --purge autoremove fonts-beng fonts-beng-extra fonts-deva fonts-droid fonts-gubbi fonts-gujr fonts-gujr-extra fonts-guru fonts-guru-extra fonts-kacst fonts-kacst-one fonts-kalapi fonts-khmeros-core fonts-knda fonts-lao fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-lohit-beng-assamese fonts-lohit-beng-bengali fonts-lohit-deva fonts-lohit-gujr fonts-lohit-guru fonts-lohit-knda fonts-lohit-mlym fonts-lohit-orya fonts-lohit-taml fonts-lohit-taml-classical fonts-lohit-telu fonts-nakula fonts-nanum fonts-navilu fonts-noto-unhinted fonts-orya-extra fonts-pagul fonts-sahadeva fonts-samyak-deva fonts-samyak-gujr fonts-samyak-mlym fonts-samyak-taml fonts-sarai fonts-smc fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-sil-padauk fonts-takao-pgothic fonts-taml fonts-telu fonts-telu-extra fonts-thai-tlwg fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-tlwg-garuda fonts-tlwg-garuda-ttf fonts-tlwg-kinnari fonts-tlwg-kinnari-ttf fonts-tlwg-laksaman fonts-tlwg-laksaman-ttf fonts-tlwg-loma fonts-tlwg-loma-ttf fonts-tlwg-mono fonts-tlwg-mono-ttf fonts-tlwg-norasi fonts-tlwg-norasi-ttf fonts-tlwg-purisa fonts-tlwg-purisa-ttf fonts-tlwg-sawasdee fonts-tlwg-sawasdee-ttf fonts-tlwg-typewriter fonts-tlwg-typewriter-ttf fonts-tlwg-typist fonts-tlwg-typist-ttf fonts-tlwg-typo fonts-tlwg-typo-ttf fonts-tlwg-umpush fonts-tlwg-umpush-ttf fonts-tlwg-waree fonts-tlwg-waree-ttf fonts-wqy-microhei fonts-wqy-zenhei ttf-indic-fonts-core ttf-punjabi-fonts ttf-wqy-microhei

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sudo apt-get --purge autoremove fonts-kacst fonts-kacst-one fonts-khmeros-core fonts-lao fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-nanum fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-sil-padauk fonts-takao-pgothic fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-tlwg-garuda fonts-tlwg-kinnari fonts-tlwg-loma fonts-tlwg-mono fonts-tlwg-norasi fonts-tlwg-purisa fonts-tlwg-sawasdee fonts-tlwg-typewriter fonts-tlwg-typist fonts-tlwg-typo fonts-tlwg-umpush fonts-tlwg-waree ttf-indic-fonts-core ttf-punjabi-fonts ttf-wqy-microhei

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get --purge autoremove fonts-kacst* fonts-khmeros* fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-guru-extra fonts-nanum* fonts-noto-cjk fonts-takao* fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-lao fonts-sil-padauk fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-tlwg-* fonts-lohit-* fonts-beng-extra fonts-gargi fonts-gubbi fonts-gujr-extra fonts-kalapi fonts-lohit-* fonts-samyak* fonts-navilu fonts-nakula fonts-orya-extra fonts-pagul fonts-sarai fonts-telu* fonts-wqy* fonts-smc* fonts-deva-extra

[Flemur]

hi flemur...try these font removals to see what really is left remaining...DAMIEN

I remove all those as part of an install - it leaves literally hundreds of apparently useless (mostly non-ttf) font files around, which are the ones I deleted.

Also, various desktops and programs think they require some magical font, so the fonts can't be removed the normal way without removing other stuff; this seems especially bad in Manjaro.

[tenfoot]

Using Linux Mint v19.1 Mate

I have also removed many, many fonts and every time I do so on a new Installation I ask myself the questions "Why can't the fonts installed be dependant on the Location?" If my location is one in which the narive language is, say, English, why are the Asian and African fonts installed? If I am not a native English speaker and require fonts for my native language, I'll install them.

[majpooper]

I removed a few hundred font files and - so far - everything is working, including grub menu and console (Ctrl+Alt+Fn).

This is what remains:

Code: Select all

$ du -d 2 /usr/share/fonts
2820	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu
5916	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/croscore
4076	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ubuntu
2092	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation
22428	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/msfonts
37336	/usr/share/fonts/truetype
37340	/usr/share/fonts

If you do something like this by removing files rather than removing packages, which won't work anyway, run sudo fc-cache -fv afterwards.

hi flemur...try these font removals to see what really is left remaining...DAMIEN

Remove Rarely Used Fonts:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get -y --purge autoremove fonts-beng fonts-beng-extra fonts-deva fonts-droid fonts-gubbi fonts-gujr fonts-gujr-extra fonts-guru fonts-guru-extra fonts-kacst fonts-kacst-one fonts-kalapi fonts-khmeros-core fonts-knda fonts-lao fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-lohit-beng-assamese fonts-lohit-beng-bengali fonts-lohit-deva fonts-lohit-gujr fonts-lohit-guru fonts-lohit-knda fonts-lohit-mlym fonts-lohit-orya fonts-lohit-taml fonts-lohit-taml-classical fonts-lohit-telu fonts-nakula fonts-nanum fonts-navilu fonts-noto-unhinted fonts-orya-extra fonts-pagul fonts-sahadeva fonts-samyak-deva fonts-samyak-gujr fonts-samyak-mlym fonts-samyak-taml fonts-sarai fonts-smc fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-sil-padauk fonts-takao-pgothic fonts-taml fonts-telu fonts-telu-extra fonts-thai-tlwg fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-tlwg-garuda fonts-tlwg-garuda-ttf fonts-tlwg-kinnari fonts-tlwg-kinnari-ttf fonts-tlwg-laksaman fonts-tlwg-laksaman-ttf fonts-tlwg-loma fonts-tlwg-loma-ttf fonts-tlwg-mono fonts-tlwg-mono-ttf fonts-tlwg-norasi fonts-tlwg-norasi-ttf fonts-tlwg-purisa fonts-tlwg-purisa-ttf fonts-tlwg-sawasdee fonts-tlwg-sawasdee-ttf fonts-tlwg-typewriter fonts-tlwg-typewriter-ttf fonts-tlwg-typist fonts-tlwg-typist-ttf fonts-tlwg-typo fonts-tlwg-typo-ttf fonts-tlwg-umpush fonts-tlwg-umpush-ttf fonts-tlwg-waree fonts-tlwg-waree-ttf fonts-wqy-microhei fonts-wqy-zenhei ttf-indic-fonts-core ttf-punjabi-fonts ttf-wqy-microhei

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get --purge autoremove fonts-kacst fonts-kacst-one fonts-khmeros-core fonts-lao fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-nanum fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-sil-padauk fonts-takao-pgothic fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-tlwg-garuda fonts-tlwg-kinnari fonts-tlwg-loma fonts-tlwg-mono fonts-tlwg-norasi fonts-tlwg-purisa fonts-tlwg-sawasdee fonts-tlwg-typewriter fonts-tlwg-typist fonts-tlwg-typo fonts-tlwg-umpush fonts-tlwg-waree ttf-indic-fonts-core ttf-punjabi-fonts ttf-wqy-microhei

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get --purge autoremove fonts-kacst* fonts-khmeros* fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-guru-extra fonts-nanum* fonts-noto-cjk fonts-takao* fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-lao fonts-sil-padauk fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-tlwg-* fonts-lohit-* fonts-beng-extra fonts-gargi fonts-gubbi fonts-gujr-extra fonts-kalapi fonts-lohit-* fonts-samyak* fonts-navilu fonts-nakula fonts-orya-extra fonts-pagul fonts-sarai fonts-telu* fonts-wqy* fonts-smc* fonts-deva-extra

Have tried to rid myself of all these unnecessary font files using several sources including Damien's but still end up with quite a few. Courious how you got down to the few you have left.

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majpooper@1150z:~$ du -d 2 /usr/share/fonts
292	/usr/share/fonts/opentype/cantarell
296	/usr/share/fonts/opentype
4544	/usr/share/fonts/type1/gsfonts
4548	/usr/share/fonts/type1
10020	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu
2964	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/crosextra
2092	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation
1336	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/gentium
2088	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/gentium-basic
204	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/openoffice
10632	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/freefont
4228	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation2
5588	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/msttcorefonts
3916	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ubuntu-font-family
20052	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/noto
63124	/usr/share/fonts/truetype
204	/usr/share/fonts/X11/util
768	/usr/share/fonts/X11/encodings
4456	/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi
4788	/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi
8164	/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc
476	/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1
18860	/usr/share/fonts/X11
4	/usr/share/fonts/cmap
86836	/usr/share/fonts

[Flemur]

Courious how you got down to the few you have left.

I just deleted all the files you don't see listed in my first post, e.g.

Code: Select all

rm -r /usr/share/fonts/type1

etc. Then run

Code: Select all

sudo fc-cache -fv

(obviously make a backup before deleting).

In ubuntu 18.04 /usr/share/fonts went from 801 files -> 109 files.
In manjaro it went from 4,028 files -> 121 files.

And those 801 and 4,028 files were the minimum I could come up with using the package management systems; manjaro was especially bad about claiming that some piece of software required some obscure font, and that was my motivation. Apparently they were wrong about the requirement because everything works fine, including the console and grub menu.

And those 100-some remaining files are still probably too many, since there are still a bunch of standard fonts which are hard to tell about - really need 'liberation' and 'ubuntu' ? Nope.

[DAMIEN1307]

Flemur=7 fonts left over

DAMIEN=16 fonts left over

majpooper=25 fonts left over

the only thing i did was just run those font removal scripts i posted, nothing more, never ran any rm code, flemur is declared the winner...lol...DAMIEN

damien@damien ~ $ du -d 2 /usr/share/fonts
7568 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/noto
10656 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/freefont
11768 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/lato
2092 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation
2820 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu
4076 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ubuntu
5588 /usr/share/fonts/truetype/msttcorefonts
44728 /usr/share/fonts/truetype
4 /usr/share/fonts/cMap
4 /usr/share/fonts/cmap
768 /usr/share/fonts/X11/encodings
204 /usr/share/fonts/X11/util
976 /usr/share/fonts/X11
4544 /usr/share/fonts/type1/gsfonts
4548 /usr/share/fonts/type1
50264 /usr/share/fonts
damien@damien ~ $

[AZgl1800]

I had about a year ago, used Damien's script to remove all non-English fonts.

and this is all that is left on my PC...

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 $ du -d 2 /usr/share/fonts
4544	/usr/share/fonts/type1/gsfonts
4548	/usr/share/fonts/type1
476	/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1
8164	/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc
768	/usr/share/fonts/X11/encodings
204	/usr/share/fonts/X11/util
9616	/usr/share/fonts/X11
9420	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu
204	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/openoffice
4076	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ubuntu-font-family
10592	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/freefont
15824	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/noto
2108	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation
2960	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ancient-scripts
45188	/usr/share/fonts/truetype
4	/usr/share/fonts/cmap
4	/usr/share/fonts/opentype
59364	/usr/share/fonts

It sure did get rid of all that crap I had to scroll thru looking for a different font when it was needed.

[majpooper]

OK I guess it depends on what exact version/configuration you are running (I am on LMDE 3). I run Damien's scripts and end up with 25 font files Damien ends up with 16. Makes sense, I guess, in that running Damien's scripts there are several fonts not found. I took Flemur's approach after back-up and rm'd everything other than truetype font files - so far no issues. But I did notice that there are some that Flemur has some truetype font files that that I do not - again I suspect different system configurations .

This is what I end up with - I will stick with only all the truetype font files and leave it at that as that is still quite an improvement.

THX much Damien and Flemur.

Code: Select all

majpooper@1150z:~$ du -d 2 /usr/share/fonts
10020	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu
2964	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/crosextra
2092	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation
1336	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/gentium
2088	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/gentium-basic
204	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/openoffice
10632	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/freefont
4228	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation2
5588	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/msttcorefonts
3916	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ubuntu-font-family
20052	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/noto
63124	/usr/share/fonts/truetype
63128	/usr/share/fonts

[spaarks]

Here is another script which removes most of the non- Latin fonts:

Open Terminal mode.
Select the text below and copy (ctrl+c)

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get remove fonts-kacst* fonts-khmeros* fonts-lklug-sinhala fonts-guru-extra fonts-nanum* fonts-noto-cjk fonts-takao* fonts-tibetan-machine fonts-lao fonts-sil-padauk fonts-sil-abyssinica fonts-tlwg-* fonts-lohit-* fonts-beng-extra fonts-gargi fonts-gubbi fonts-gujr-extra fonts-kalapi fonts-lohit-* fonts-samyak* fonts-navilu fonts-nakula fonts-orya-extra fonts-pagul fonts-sarai fonts-telu* fonts-wqy* fonts-smc* fonts-deva-extra fonts-sahadeva

In Terminal (right-click to paste, not ctrl+v)
(Add any other families you like to the above. For a whole family of fonts add *).

then, to clear font cache:

Code: Select all

sudo dpkg-reconfigure fontconfig

Then reboot.

This also clears font cache:

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fc-cache -f -v

[xfrank]

Me too, I have to spend half an hour for each new installation to remove all the unnecessary fonts. I wonder why there are so many regional fonts (malayam, bengali, thai, etc.) installed by default. Is linux mint so popular in South Asia? Just curious...

[urdrwho]

I'm jumping in on this font discussion and wonder if there is a lot of font bloat. I haven't removed any and this is what I have and ask myself, do I need a punjabi font?

Code: Select all

john@john-Satellite-P855:~$ du -d 2 /usr/share/fonts
4544	/usr/share/fonts/type1/gsfonts
4548	/usr/share/fonts/type1
86692	/usr/share/fonts/opentype/noto
420	/usr/share/fonts/opentype/malayalam
87116	/usr/share/fonts/opentype
204	/usr/share/fonts/X11/util
476	/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1
8164	/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc
768	/usr/share/fonts/X11/encodings
9616	/usr/share/fonts/X11
4	/usr/share/fonts/cMap
4	/usr/share/fonts/cmap
116	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-guru-extra
356	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/Sahadeva
3944	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/droid
4228	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation2
452	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-kalapi
156	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-devanagari
28840	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/nanum
10020	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/dejavu
200	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-kannada
2092	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/liberation
52	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-tamil
132	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/Gubbi
3292	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-deva-extra
56	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-malayalam
5064	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/wqy
136	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-bengali
992	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/kacst
37872	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/noto
108	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/kacst-one
524	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-khmeros-core
340	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-telugu
132	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/samyak
304	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/sinhala
1836	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/padauk
88	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-oriya
68	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-gujarati
596	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/abyssinica
192	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/pagul
2860	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/malayalam
4076	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ubuntu
3096	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ancient-scripts
860	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-beng-extra
10632	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/freefont
200	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/samyak-fonts
6068	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/tlwg
336	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/Nakula
72	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-tamil-classical
208	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/openoffice
140	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/Navilu
32	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-punjabi
6096	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/takao-gothic
136	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lohit-assamese
372	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-gujr-extra
4412	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/tibetan-machine
160	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-orya-extra
192	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/lao
408	/usr/share/fonts/truetype/fonts-telu-extra
142548	/usr/share/fonts/truetype
243840	/usr/share/fonts
john@john-Satellite-P855:~$ 

[DAMIEN1307]

unless you really need asian fonts, just use the scripts i provided in previous post and just remove them...DAMIEN

[Portreve]

I removed a few hundred font files and - so far - everything is working, including grub menu and console (Ctrl+Alt+Fn).

Flemur, et al: Was there some particular reason you wanted to remove all these fonts from your systems? I can't find a reason in the messages thus far posted. Thanks!

[Flemur]

Flemur, et al: Was there some particular reason you wanted to remove all these fonts from your systems? I can't find a reason in the messages thus far posted. Thanks!

Come to think of it, I like a system with hundreds or thousands of useless files and a big list of dozens of fonts I never use every time I pick a font.

[redlined]

Flemur, et al: Was there some particular reason you wanted to remove all these fonts from your systems? I can't find a reason in the messages thus far posted. Thanks!

Come to think of it, I like a system with hundreds or thousands of useless files and a big list of dozens of fonts I never use every time I pick a font.

snarky

ran thru mine as well, removed tons as listed above in the apt removes, more got added when installing other packages and dependencies for build environment (back to 36 from 20 in past two weeks) but now have broke something lol... seems I'm missing something needed for webpages? (it may be due to my blocking remote fonts in browsers though))

Screenshot from 2019-02-10 19-32-24.png

[Flemur]

seems I'm missing something needed for webpages? (it may be due to my blocking remote fonts in browsers though))

I get that exact thing if I filter this forum with uBlock-origin and "Block remote fonts" set - are you doing that?

IIRC from another thread, it's the "awesome" icon/symbol font.

Edit: About the icons on this forum;

Getting and - I think - installing these files didn't fix the "missing icons" issue:
wget assets/fonts/fontawesome-webfont.eot
wget assets/fonts/fontawesome-webfont.woff
wget assets/fonts/fontawesome-webfont.woff2
wget assets/fonts/fontawesome-webfont.svg
(and a .ttf file...?)

I use uBlock on this forum to block animated avatars, so I finally figgered out how to NOT block fonts on just this forum (block everywhere else):
Addons -> ublock -> Block remote fonts -> ON (global)

On this site: click uBlock icon -> click "A" icon near bottom to disable font blocking (= enable font download ) on this site only.

[redlined]

I get that exact thing if I filter this forum with uBlock-origin and "Block remote fonts" set - are you doing that?

IIRC from another thread, it's the "awesome" icon/symbol font.

Brilliant sleuthing Flemur, indeed it was uBlock and allowing remote fonts (for this site only) did the trick. I had forgotten to backup addons settings before doing some bare metal reinstalls this past two weeks, basically saying custom rules for my browseraddonxmastree have been largely lost.

(ps, the font(s) awesome were also ones I reinstalled to see if it fixed things
on the other hand...strange that it wouldn't load proper when they are local and I do not need a remote tap to show them in browser. I imagine it is because I block fingerprinting at all vectors and site sees nothing but a couple stock fonts present so tries to serve them from remote?

[Flemur]

I imagine it is because I block fingerprinting at all vectors and site sees nothing but a couple stock fonts present so tries to serve them from remote?

I dunno. That css code I got the font names from is just a solid block of uncommented text (boo!) .... with a parameter ("36", IIRC) passed in the reference, so maybe it's using different fonts.