Blog 2020/7/6
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For whatever reason, Linux (Debian Buster, XFCE) doesn't get my monitor's DPI correct. The symptom is that all text seems smaller than it should be.
(the other symptom is a sore wrist from hitting control-plus in chrome all day long!)
First, let's see what Linux thinks my DPI is:
$ xdpyinfo | grep -B 2 resolution
screen #0:
dimensions: 2560x1440 pixels (677x381 millimeters)
resolution: 96x96 dots per inch
I broke out a tape measure and whoa, that's way off! I measure 21 3/4" width, or about 552mm. That's more like 117 DPI.
But wait, Linux already knows this!!!:
$ xrandr | grep -w connected
DP-0 connected 2560x1440+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 553mm x 311mm
Regardless, the solution is simple: create a ~/.Xresources file, like so:
$ cat ~/.Xresources
Xft.dpi: 117
Log out, log back in.
Things should look "normal" now, and you should see:
$ xdpyinfo | grep -B 2 resolution
screen #0:
dimensions: 2560x1440 pixels (551x312 millimeters)
resolution: 118x117 dots per inch
Why use the term DPI which is actually PPI?