Restore Noto CJK as Jigmo has a too low readability
In Tor Browser Alpha 15.0a4, the transition from Noto to Jigmo as the default font has led to decreased readability due to Jigmo's serif characteristics. I strongly advocate for Noto to be restored as the default font, with Jigmo used only as a fallback for rare characters that Noto cannot render.
The following screenshots illustrate the decreased readability of the Jigmo font. Even in the user interface, Noto appears much crisper and more legible.
In #44227 (closed), @cypherpunks highlighted that Noto does not render certain CJK characters, including U+24A60. However, this character is infrequently encountered, and I believe it is indeed quite rare:
- Kangxi Dictionary does not have the character, as indicated in the Wiktionary entry.
- This character is not present in The Multi-function Chinese Character Database by the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
In addition, it was also mentioned that Vietnamese Chữ Nôm and Zhuang sawndip characters would be rendered in Jigmo but not in Noto. While these scripts may hold cultural significance, they are generally considered less common in everyday use today. This raises questions about prioritizing a font like Jigmo as the default solely for rendering these less frequently encountered scripts.
Noto covers a broad range of common Han characters (Kanji/Chinese) and has significantly higher readability. Given these strengths, I believe it should be reinstated as the default font.
While Jigmo can render rare characters that Noto cannot, using it as the primary font compromises the overall user experience because of its lower readability. It can serve as an effective fallback for those rare characters, but prioritizing it as the default appears to outweigh its advantages.
I encourage all users of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese (CJKV) languages to join the discussion and share your feedback. Are there any specific instances where Noto fails to render common characters effectively? Additionally, what are your thoughts on using a serif font like Jigmo as a font for a web browser—do you find it appropriate for that purpose?