Fontconfig does the following: * discover new fonts when installed automatically, removing a common source of configuration problems. * perform font name substitution, so that appropriate alternative fonts can be selected if fonts are missing. * identify the set of fonts required to completely cover a set of languages. * have GUI configuration tools built as it uses an XML-based configuration file (though with autodiscovery, we believe this need is minimized). * efficiently and quickly find the fonts you need among the set of fonts you have installed, even if you have installed thousands of fonts, while minimzing memory usage. * be used in concert with the X Render Extension and FreeType to implement high quality, anti-aliased and subpixel rendered text on a display. -- keithp