Nokia Windows Phone 7 launch day and a look at this amazing, if somewhat disappointing, month

Today marks our fourth major phone launch this month. The Apple iPhone 4S launch was technologically a disappointment. Four months delayed Apple launched a phone with four month old technology, with performance clocked down 20% from previous product, the iPad 2 launched seven months earlier and and the remainder of technology being from 2010. Together with the iPhone 4S, was iOS5 which incorporated features already found in other operating systems. The phone killer feature, Siri had been largely ignored when it was offered for a variety of iOS devices for over two years, and only became the object of media and user attention now that it was pulled out from the Apple market and made an iPhone 4S exclusive. In other words, the iPhone 4S launch, might impress many, but not those in the know.

Next up was, Motorola who launched their RAZR. It was a less ambitious launch. But in the end, we were left with only one thought in mind. How they they make an LTE phone so thin. Motorola had really only one new thing to show, but 7.1mm thick was amazing enough to be one new thing. If Google had launched Ice Cream Sandwich on this device, it may have been more interesting than the Google-Samsung launch the next day.

In fairness the Google-Samsung Nexus phone launch would be impressive to many, the phone is definitely cutting edge. But to those who already saw the announcement LG Optimus LTE LU6200 of the Samsung Galaxy S II HD the previous month in Korea, the  Google Galaxy Nexus really did not bring anything all that new to the table. The Optimus LTE LU6200 and the Galaxy S II HD already having large 720p screens and 1.5GHz dual core processors. Actually, this phones have features that the Galaxy Nexus do not have like  a MicroSD card slow and USB-on-the-Go. 

As for Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich. It really incorporates many features already available in other manufacturer customized ROMs and actually takes Android in the same direction as Windows Phone 7. To those in the know, well we have seen that before. 

Now it is time for Nokia. The operating system, Windows Phone 7.5 was already launched a month ago, so we are not expecting too many surprises in this department. Windows Phone 7.5 has strict design specifications and hardware support limitations so you know what you will be seeing will have the following:

• 480 x 800 screen resolution, which would limit the screen sizes to what is feasible under these resolutions 
• 800MHz to 1.5GHz processor
• 8GB of internal storage of higher
• 5MP or higher camera

Given it is a Nokia, we can expect the crisp and clear AMOLED or clear black displays, excellent OVI (now Nokia) Maps with its offline voice guided turn-by-turn navigation (which is voice guided in many more countries than Google Maps) and a bit of Carl-Zeiss magic in their camera. We would not even be surprised to see a QWERTY slider too. 

No, Nokia really cannot "WOW" us with the hardware or the software.

The software is the best mobile phone operating system in terms of interface. It really works on a small screen, and yes even 4.65-inches is a small screen. It is an integrated operating system, not one that basically makes you jump from app to app. Its lack of market share has been due to many factors, but not because the operating system is not up to snuff.

What Nokia needs to do is not really impress the public with anyone one product but launched a whole now line-up covering a wide cross section of the smartphone market and announce "Nokia is back" and Windows Phone 7 is here to stay. Than get the phones out in the market now, meaning by November, starting with Europe, China, India and South East Asia.

That is all Nokia really has to do. 

The smartphone wars are over

Apple started out a computer manufacturer, and by Apple's definition it meant creating their own hardware and software. In a perfect Apple world, an Apple personal computer would be 100% designed and manufactured by Apple, with the installed software being 100% developed by Apple and the only computers would be Apple computers.

Microsoft and the IBM PC, pretty much opened up the the personal computer industry by letting multiple manufacturers and multiple software developers work in a relatively open environment. The end result is what you have today, lower and lower cost personal computers which also means opening access to more and more of the world. What Microsoft and IBM strive to create was an environment where there are more and more computers. As the computer has morphed from a business machine to a communications and information device, this has become more important. Microsoft perceived by many people as "evil" had a large part in opening up the PC world. True, they do their best to keep Linux at bay, but remember these are all companies trying to turn a profit. Even Free and open-source software companies had to find a way to turn a profit. The FOSS companies are manned by men and women who like everyone else need to earn a living and have families to feed and so is Microsoft.

Still, if Linux had been more dominant, the spread of the computer would have even been much faster I think. If Linux did not exist, well that is a scary thought.

As Apple morphed into a consumer electronics company, it kept pretty much the same mindset as it had as a personal computer company. Apples own services are kept proprietary to its own platform. Apple makes money selling hardware, music and apps from its own stores and over time if feasible would probably want to extend the reach of its proprietary services. In areas where they cannot monopolized proprietary content, Apple would want it sold through its own stores. Where they can create their own content, Apple would eventually want to close the market so that only its own software would run in its hardware. I think it is not unreasonable to think that in the future Apple may launch its own gaming label like Sony Playstation or Microsoft's Xbox.  In a perfect Apple world, an Apple ecosystem would be hardware 100% designed and manufactured by Apple, with the installed software being 100% developed by Apple and with the only devices available being Apple manufacture devices.

This is really nothing new, RIM and its BlackBerry were designed to run its services only to run only on its own hardware. Looking back at things now, BlackBerry excessively charged for its hardware and services. When BlackBerry ruled, 24/7 mobile email and instant messaging access was really just limited to corporate users and the affluent. Nokia tried to follow the BlackBerry model, and when Apple entered the mobile phone market it too was hoping to take over from BlackBerry, only on an even large scale.

Google destroyed all of this. Google's Android platform supports its own apps and services, but it also provides these apps and services to other platforms. Any manufacturer who wants to can manufacture a Google Android device.

For Google, Android is just one way to expand it services to a larger base of users. What Google wants is more and more persons on the web. If a person accessed Google services using an Apple, BlackBerry or Windows Phone 7, it benefits Google just as much as if a user accessed the service from an Android.

Smartphone's have gone below Php5,000 in price. Access to communications and information is lower than ever. But as Android succeeds, I suspect Google will be cast in the same light as Microsoft more and more. 

If Apple iOS were to disappear from the world tomorrow, users could migrate to Android, BlackBerry or Windows Phone 7 devices. If Android operating were to disappear from the world tomorrow many users would not be able to migrate to iOS,BlackBerry or Windows Phone 7 devices. They just cost too much.

Fortunately there can be no Wintel in the mobile world as pretty much anyone can license ARM technology, unlike the all but closed x86 licensing.
 
PC's, smartphones and the Internet have created a whole new world, with communications smudging borders and with cultural divides being eradicated.

Apple, BlackBerry or Windows Phone 7 may still emerge as the dominant phone platform, but only by reaching out to a larger user base. If not, Google Android will probably become the most dominant system.

The smartphone wars are over. The consumer wins.
 

Ubuntu Linux Unity Desktop - Multi-tasking with the launcher

Ubuntu's Unity desktop no longer has the bar on the bottom of the screen which would display open windows. You can multi-task with with Ubuntu's Unity desktop using the other traditional ways by using the nearly universal "Alt + Tab" key combination or using the workspace switcher you can use in Linux and Mac OS, but I think most Ubuntu users will multi-task using the launcher.

We already took a look at the launcher in Unity is where you place your most commonly used apps, and it will also display any open apps which are not place on the launcher permanently. The behavior is similar to the dock in Mac OSX. An active app in the launcher is indicated by a marker on the left side of the icon of the app.

Unity does add some new tweaks.  If you launch two instances of the same up, it will have two markers, three or more instances of the same app, will be indicated by three markers.

In the next screen shot, it displays two instances of Mozilla and one instance of LibreOffice Writer running.

To go from one app to another, just click the icon and that app will come to the front of the screen. When you have two instances running it will show you both windows in a reduce sized and you can click on the one you want to focus on.

It's that simple.

Making the Gnome 3 empty desktop more useful

When you boot into the Gnome 3 desktop you get an empty screen. There are no icons on the desktop and no way to put icons on it at the present time.

The empty Gnome 3 desktop on startup

I guess the Gnome development team is planning to place widgets here in the future. In order to get productive work done, you have to go into the activities menu, either by (a) pressing the Windows key, (b) moving you mouse to the top right corner or the screen, or (c) by clicking the word activities on the top right of the screen. Doing this place you in the Windows view which gives you access to your launcher and work spaces.

The "Windows" view

I do not see the point of booting up into a screen which requires an additional key press to be useful. Since I pretty much use the web browser every time I boot my computer, one way to make Gnome 3 more useful at startup is to autostart the web browser.

To do this launch the application called Startup Applications and Add a new startup program. Just type in "Firefox" the box for name, "firefox" in the box for command and click "save". Next time you boot, Firefox will autostart so this is what you will see after the computer boots.

Ubuntu Linux Unity Desktop - Application and System indicators

In our previous article, we took a look at the Ubuntu Linux Unity launcher. On the right upper corner of the desktop you have application and system indicators.

Ubuntu Linux 11.10 Unity Desktop

Ubuntu calls the information area the Application and System indicators. 

Clicking the icon of the right most point of the bar gives you access to settings, informs you if updates are available or it you need to restart your computer, switch between accounts and "power" down your system.

From here you can configure your instant messenger, email, check your battery life and configure power settings, Bluetooth, WiFi and speakers. On the computer in the screen shot, Dropbox has been installed and the indicator icon shows up on the same area.

Notifications from your email, messenger apps and system will pop-up in this area.

To take a look at multi-tasking follow this link.

   

Ubuntu Linux Unity Desktop - The launcher

Users who have never tried Linux might be surprised how wrong their impressions are of what using Linux is like. I think Ubuntu Linux is probably the best entry into the Linux world for the non-Linux user.

Ubuntu Linux 11.10 Unity Desktop

When you boot into Ubuntu Linux, you are greeted by a nice familiar interface. It is different from the Windows or Mac desktops, but the elements are familiar. On the left side of the screen you have a launcher where you can pin your most frequently used applications.  One click launches the app.

Ubuntu decided to put the launcher on the left side to maximize the vertical area available for applications. With laptop screens now following HD 16:9, modern laptops have more horizontal space and less vertical space, this decision makes sense. Still the launcher hides when you launch, leaving only the top bar so it does not necessarily have to be on the left side.

Unity does a great job of maximizing the screen space available for your apps

That it the entire point of the Unity interface I think. Maximizing desktop space.

Moving your mouse to the left edge of the screen brings back the launcher. Well, that's all for now. Take a look at Application and System indicators by following this link.

Ubuntu 11.10 Beta 1 - New Softare Center screen shots

One of the more challenging aspects of Linux, for those migrating from Windows or Mac OS, is finding compatible software and installing it. There is enough software in the Linux world to do pretty much any task you want to do, and most are free. Gamers would be the ones hardest pressed by software compatibility issues.

Ubuntu has always had a good graphical Software Center to help users find relevant software. The Software Center in Ubuntu 11.10 Beta 1 has gotten a nice upgrade making it visually more pleasing and I think more enticing to woo new users into the Linux fold. 

Here are some screen grabs:

Installation is a one-click affair. 

Ubuntu 11.10 Beta 1 - Launching apps takes a few steps to many

I finally downloaded Ubuntu 11.10 Beta 1, code named "Oneiric Ocelot". The first thing you will probably notice when you get to desktop is the Applications and Files shortcuts on the dock are missing, and the Dash shortcut has moved from the task bar to a more prominent place on the dock.

Ubuntu 11.04 Desktop

Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop

Dash takes a more prominent place in Oneiric Ocelot. Lets fire up the dash and look for my apps. Apps can be found on the third button at the bottom of the Dash.

After navigating to the apps menu, I am happy to see Ubuntu cleaned things up already removed the list of "Favorites" (errata: I was wrong about this. The most frequenty used apps are displayed again). My favorite apps would be on my dock anyway once I customize the dock. Putting a app short cut on the dock, gives you one click access to your favorite apps. 

The applications menu will show you installed apps and apps available for download. You can click "See 77 more results to show you all your installed apps" or "Filter results".

Selecting Filter results brings up Lenses. Lenses allows you to filter results by type. In this case I selected accessories. Here I selected "Accessories", which will show you the first four installed apps by alphabetical order.

To show all accessories you have to select "See more 11 results".

Ubuntu insistence on showing you applications installed for download, in the application menu, results in the need for additional mouse clicks. I think applications available for download should be move somewhere else.

The path to launching an app can be as long as:

a) Dash ---> Applications ---> Filter results ---> Select Filter ----> See more results ---> Scroll to app ---> Launch app 

This requires 8 separate actions. The available filters should be shown by default. This would save you one mouse click.  Removing apps available for download would save one more mouse click.

If you opt not to use filters you could locate apps this way:

b) Dash ---> Applications ---> Show all apps ---> Scroll to app ---> Launch app

This requires 5 separate actions. Removing apps available for download would one more mouse click.

But really, launching an app should be as simple as:

a) Applications ---> Select Filter ----> Scroll to app ---> Launch app

This requires 4 separate actions.

- or -

a) Applications ---> Scroll to app ---> Launch app

This requires 3 separate actions.

Basically, I think Unity is 2 to 4 mouse clicks from the an optimum set-up.

If you compare this to Gnome 3, launching an app with Gnome 3 requires less actions:

a) Activities ---> Applications ---> Select Filter ----> Scroll to app ---> Launch app

This requires 5 separate actions.

- or -

a) Activities ---> Applications ---> Scroll to app ---> Launch app

This requires 4 separate actions.

As far as launching apps is concerned, Gnome 3 requires 1 to 3 "steps" less than Unity.

Overall though, Unity is a nice desktop, but a little more evolution, and simplification is needed.

Ubuntu Linux - About change

Linux Girl of PCWorld reports that:

Now, however, it looks like there may be another big change coming down the pike. Specifically, in what feels almost like a tip of the hat to Firefox, a proposal has been made to switch Ubuntu to a monthly release cycle.

x x x

As a possible solution to those and other related problems, Remnant proposes switching Ubuntu to a rapid monthly release process, beginning with the 11.10 release due in October.

Following that version, then, release 11.11 would arrive in November, version 11.12 would come in December, version 12.01 would be released in January, and so on.

Lets leave that for a bit.

Among all Linux distributions I think Ubuntu is the one which has the best chance at the mainstream consumer market. The Ubuntu One cloud based service, their focus on making Linux easier to use for the new user, and the clear nod to new and developing hardware by making their interface easier to port to the  touchscreen makes them the most relevant Linux distribution for the average user.

Unity. Earlier this year, Ubuntu got a new desktop with the controversial Unity desktop.

The new desktop is designed to be more user friendly. After booting up this is what you will see:

Ubuntu 11.04 Unity Desktop

There is a dock on the left side of the screen which you can customize and pin your most commonly used applications to the dock. There is enough space on the dock so that the average user wont have to dig into the applications menu.

Once an application is launch the dock is hidden. The task bar on the bottom has also been remove to maximize the space available for the application.

Ubuntu 11.04 Unity Desktop

Unity tries to get to helpful.  Once you go into Unity's application and file management, it gets too helpful in my opinion. 

Ubuntu 11.04 Application Menu

When you go into the applications menu it shows you your most frequently used applications, which should be redundant. If I set up my dock properly, the contents of "Most Frequently Used" and the dock should be the same. Than it shows me apps available for download. That should really be kept somewhere else, like in the Ubuntu Software Center (an "App Store").

I prefer the simplistic approach of the Gnome 3 desktop - Just scroll down and look for what you want.

Fedora 15 Gnome 3

The situation is the same with Unity File Manager, places which places an emphasis on favorites, but since Ubuntu 11.04 allows users access to a tradition file manager (folders and sub-folders) and is being radically changed to Lenses in a months time, I see no reason to delve in that.

I do not expect all Ubuntu's changes to be what I personally prefer. Being an old dog, I have gotten used to doing things the old way. The input of new young users would be more relevant. They are after all Ubuntu's target. Suffice it to say with about a 2% share in the desktop market, I can respect any attempt at change. 

Monthly releases. But this new proposal for monthly releases is clearly a step in the wrong direction I think. 

A operating system is just an app launcher. A good desktop is one that is simple to use and gets out of the way as quickly as possible. We do not spend our time on a computer to marvel at the operating system. When go on the computer to access the web browser, word processor, play a game or some other application to achieve some purpose.

I understood Ubuntu's frequest six month cycle as the operating system develops, but at some point in time it should really stabilize and other than bug fixes and security updates, I think major updates should come once every one to three years.

Well, my 2-cents.

Navigating the Gnome 3 desktop for Linux

The new Gnome 3 desktop has become my favorite Linux desktop environment. Many in the Linux Community have give this desktop environment the thumbs down. Granted, it is the most radical change in the Linux desktop environment in recent history. I will leave the debates on this issue for another fora.

Lets just take a look at Gnome 3 on its own merit. When you first boot the computer you will be greeted by a very bare desktop.

To start getting work done you have to move  to the "Activities" view, which can be down by clicking the either "Activities" button, moving your mouse pointer to the top left edge of the screen, pressing the "Windows" key or pressing "ALT + F1".

Going to the Activities view will display a dock on the left side of the screen where you can pin your favorite programs. On the right side it displays the work-space switcher, and this view will also display open Windows. Right now we don't have any.

I think it might have been better if this was the default view for Gnome 3. The bare home screen can be a source of confusion at first. Maybe the Gnome Team plans to put widgets on the home screen in the future, so lets see how this plays out.

You can launch applications from the dock on the right side on the right side of the screen, but to view all installed applications you have to click the "Applications" button at the upper left section of the "Activities" view.

You can  scroll up and down the screen to find the application you are looking for or select the particular category of apps you want to view.

I think this feature will be removed from the next version of Gnome 3.

Lets launch a few applications to see what "Activities" view looks like.

You can switch between open windows from this view by clicking the one you want to bring to the front. Each instance of each app is displayed separately. I will open to documents to show you what it looks like.

 
You can also switch between Windows using the "Alt + Tab" keyboard shortcut.

There is something is the "Alt + Tab" which some user might not like. When you have two instances of the same application it aggregates them in the "Alt + Tab" view. This would mean having to use the "Alt+Tab" keyboard shortcut and without releasing these keys navigate to the the desire Window using the arrow keys on the keyboard.  

I never use work spaces, but if you do, they are on the right side of the screen.

Accessibility options, volume controls, Bluetooth and wireless and other functions can be accessed through drop down menu's at the top right of the screen.

Well, that is all for now. If there are other parts of the Gnome 3 desktop you would to see, leave a comment. 

Gnome 3 could look familiar to Android users

This is what the current Gnome 3 desktop app "drawer" looks like:

Here is a screenshot of the upcoming Gnome 3.2 desktop for Linux:

The app drawer which will jump from page to page just like a Android apps drawer. Looking more and more like its taking some cues from Android. What do you think?

Fonts: Fedora 15 versus Ubuntu 11.04

My biggest grip about Fedora is the fonts. After having tweak them as much as I can following the steps at this link, I wanted to compare how they looked liked against Ubuntu fonts. 

Fedora on top, Ubuntu below. Click to enlarge.

Even without tweaking, Ubuntu's fonts still look better. What do you think?

LibreOffice, a free and Open Source productivity suite

Many people equate taking the plunge into Open Source as going to Linux and moving to a new operating system. With Microsoft Offering lower and lower prices on Windows software these days, mainly in developing countries, the incentive to make this move is getting less and less. 

But you may want to keep Windows and try an Open Source Office Suite,  LibreOffice.

LibreOffice. LibreOffice is a free software office suite developed by The Document Foundation as a fork of OpenOffice.org. OpenOffice.org originated as StarOffice, an office suite developed by StarDivision and acquired by Sun Microsystems in August 1999. The source code of the suite was released in July 2000 with the aim of reducing the dominant market share of Microsoft Office by providing a free and open alternative. OpenOffice.org was an open-source version of the StarOffice suite, with development sponsored primarily by Sun Microsystems. Both OpenOffice and LibreOffice are compatible with other major office suites, including Microsoft Office, and available Linux, Mindows and the Mac operating systems.

LibreOffice is a complete productivity suite, which you can use to prepare documents, spreadsheets and presentations. The LibreOffice word processor is called Wirter, and the learning curve from other word processors is fairly easy. There is a bit more of a learning curve for the spreadsheet application called Calc, but a few days and you should feel right at home. LibreOffice also has a presentation creator. I do not use presentation creation applications so I cannot comment on that. The most confusing part for a new user will be that it saves in its own *.odt (documents) and *.ods (spreadsheets) format than the more common *.doc/*.rtf or *.xls format.

But this can be changed easily by going to Tools ---> Options ---> Load/Save ---> General.

There is one big advantage to using LibreOffice. I have been using OpenOffice and LibreOffice for collectively nine years now. Since it is compatible with Linux, Windows and the Mac operating systems, I can easily move from one operating system to another. By moving to applications which are compatible across platforms, I can easily move across platforms. That is save money is a bonus.

My desktop replacement laptop runs Fedora Linux, and my everyday carry machine is a MacBook Air. When it is time to replace the MacBook I will probably try a Windows laptop again. In my office we use a combination of Linux, Windows and Mac powered machines. It gets to the point that you are OS neutral. Absence of dependence on any platform gives me a sense of freedom which I like.

It is always good to have choices. LibreOffice is a viable alternative to proprietary Office Suites. 

You can download LibreOffice here.

Sending files to Fedora 15 via Bluetooth

After pairing my mobile phone to my laptop with Fedora 15 installed, I was able to send filed from my laptop to my phone, but not from my phone to my laptop. By default Fedora 15 is not configured to allow files to be sent to it via Bluetooth and this has to be enabled. After searching in the control panel (System Settings in Fedora) I could not find the where to enable the setting which will allow Fedora 15 to receive filed over bluetooth.

Apparently this utility is not included in the installed I downloaded (I got the Live USB version). To install the Gnome User Share utility, fire up the Terminal and type in "su" without the quotation marks to give you root access. Than type your password.

After your password  is accepted type the following command and press enter:


yum install gnome-user-share

After installing the Gnome User Share utility launch the from the Applications menu.

This will bring up bring up the Personal File Sharing Preferences panel, and you simply have to click the Receive Files in Downloads Folder over Bluetooth.

You will now be able to send files via Bluetooth to your Fedora 15 computer.

Fixing the Dropbox start-up problem with Fedora Linux

I noticed Fedora 15 takes a longer time to connect to the internet than my last Linux operating system, Ubuntu. This causes problems for Dropbox when it is set to automatically start with your computer. When Dropbox starts up and it cannot find an internet connection, it will get stuck at connecting and won't sync your Dropbox folder contents.

The simple solution is to delay Dropbox from starting start up. Okay. First we have to stop Dropbox from starting up. Bring up the Dropbox preferences and uncheck "Start Dropbox at system startup".

Click picture for a larger image

Next we have to bring up the start-up manager. Click Alt + F2 to bring up the  run command dialogue and type in "gnome-session-properties", and click enter.

From the "Startup Application Preferences" GUI  select "Add".

In the field name, type in "Dropbox" and in the field command type in the following command:


bash -c "sleep 30s && dropbox start -i"

Don't forget to click Save.

This will delay Dropbox from starting up for 30 seconds which should allow your computer to connect to he internet before Dropbox launches. If you need a longer period of delay you can use the following commands:

45 seconds: bash -c "sleep 45s && dropbox start -i"
1 minute:  bash -c "sleep 1m && dropbox start -i"

Reboot. Dropbox should now be working fine.

Improving fonts in Fedora 15

Update: This procudere works with Fedora 16 too.

Fedora 15, by default ships with very thing fonts, which I find strain my eyes to much. Some of the fonts, like in the Application menu are small, even on my 14-inch laptop. Fixing this is not too difficult.

If you don't see a problem with your fonts in Fedora 15 you can stop here :)

Gnome Tweak Tool. I recommend that you download the Gnome Tweak Tool. Fire up the terminal, log in to root (Command: su) and type in the following command, and click enter:

yum install gnome-tweak-tool

This will allow you to change fonts, adjust font sizes, scale fonts, and tweak hinting and anti-aliasing. It will also allow to you customize other features on the Gnome 3 desktop.

Depending on you screen and preferences this might be enough. In the end, I really wanted better fonts. 

My favorite are Microsoft TrueType fonts which are free to download off the Microsoft website. There is no Fedora Linux package for download, but a file which downloads the fonts and packages them into an RPM was created. To install  Microsoft TrueType fonts you have to run a series of commands in the terminal:

su -c "yum install rpm-build ttmkfdir cabextract"
    

mkdir -p ~/rpmbuild/SOURCES
    

wget http://fenris02.fedorapeople.org/msttcore-fonts-2.0-4.spec
    

wget http://fenris02.fedorapeople.org/09-msttcorefonts.conf -O ~/rpmbuild/SOURCES/09-msttcorefonts.conf
    

rpmbuild -bb msttcore-fonts-2.0-4.spec

su -mc "rpm -Uvh ~/rpmbuild/RPMS/noarch/msttcore-fonts-2.0-4.noarch.rpm"

su -c "ttmkfdir /usr/share/fonts/msttcore"
 

fc-cache

Depending on your "ideology", you may or may not want to do this. You can find other font options at FedoraUnity.

I really like Microsoft's TrueType fonts, since it makes your Linux box render fonts similarly to a Windows machine and a Mac. Since, I am not abandoning Microsoft Windows, and  also use a MacBook, having familiar looking fonts is easy on the eyes.