[How To] Fix Ugly Fonts in Google Earth 6.2 on Ubuntu

By , Published January 31, 2012

Google Earth 6.2 was released last week with improved imagery, Google+ integration and improvements to search.

Sadly one thing wasn’t fixed: the infamous ‘font issue‘ in Linux.

You can read more about what’s new by clicking here.

Ugly Font Fix

Google provide 32bit and 64bit .Deb installers for Ubuntu users. Whilst Google Earth 6.2 works well under Ubuntu the same can’t be said for how it looks out-of-the-box: -

Weird fonts in google earth on Ubuntu

Thankfully fixing the stretched out typography is quite simple. All it requires is the installation of two additional packages: -

  • lsb-core – ‘…a standard core system that third-party applications written for Linux can depend upon.’
  • ttf-mstcorefonts-installer - The ubiquitous set of fonts (Arial, Verdana, etc) owned by Microsoft
Both packages can be installed through the Ubuntu Software Center – hit the buttons below to do this.

Install lsb-core

Install Microsoft Core Fonts

Once installed, open up Google Earth 6.2 and you’ll be presented with an interface that is now legible.

Font issue fixed in Google Earth on Ubuntu

 Want to go further? Read our guide on ‘How to Make Google Earth Look Native in Ubuntu‘

Related posts:

  1. Google Earth plays nice with Compiz and Ubuntu 10.10
  2. Installing Google Earth 5.2 in Ubuntu
  3. Google Earth 5.1 Brings Better Performance, Smoother Fun
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  • Frank Schäfer

    MS Core Fonts link is dead

    • Anonymous

      it’s typoed, should be ttf-mscorefonts-installer. comes in as part of ubuntu-restricted-extras anyway.

      What, doesn’t everyone install that right after a fresh install? :-)

      • Frank Schäfer

        sure. just wanted to report.

  • http://www.BaloneyGeek.com Boudhayan Gupta

    LMAO…. Why is the interface in MS Mincho, of all things?

  • http://technos.wordpress.com/ Daniele80

    you can have even a better integration using this workaround:

    https://groups.google.com/a/googleproductforums.com/d/msg/earth/BT5kyvlwFME/Zd1KKNZEZ48J

    • http://omgubuntu.co.uk/ Joey-Elijah Sneddon

      Awesome! I’ll write that up as well :)

  • Mohab Soliman-smoke

    didn’t work for me they already installed :( any ideas ? 

  • http://profiles.google.com/andrew.mace Andrew Mace

    I had the same issue but my system had installed the font package already so I have to remove it then re-install and I restarted and it worked great. I noticed during removal it said some of the fonts didn’t register, so that’s why I am thinking re-installing and agreeing to the terms registered them

  • Marek Kaminski

    dosent work for me :(

  • Anonymous

    I never have been able to get GE working on my Ubuntu 11.10 even after exhaustive googling and attempted “fixes”.

  • Anonymous

    The package can not install due to conflict with the already installed google earth. Just so you guys know. You have to uninstall the version you already have
    Maybe next version of google earth will have an actual workaround.

  • http://www.facebook.com/cynthia.allingham Cynthia Allingham McGinnis

    How about fixing the ugly fonts in Evince?

  • http://www.facebook.com/matrunchyk.sergiy Sergiy Matrunchyk

    s/ttf-mstcorefonts-installer/ttf-mscorefonts-installer/

  • http://www.facebook.com/mike.rockmore Mike Rockmore

    Software Center can’t find the lsb-core :( which is sad because I genuinly hate that fugly as font lol.

 
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