I have something that I think derives from a font setting that blanks out two features: panels and remote desktop.

This only affects one user (me): all the other users (family members) can use the machine fine. Also, my root login is fine, too.

I made a font change (can't even remember what it is, now) and now all panels are blank. I can make new panels, I can add features, launchers, and so forth. But all the areas on any panel which should show text characters are blank.

Also, I routinely remote in via VNC (well, I used to) but now all I get is a blank screen. The VNC server opens, and logs in successfully, but all that is returned is a screen that is blank. The backdrop color is correct, and there is a cursor that I can move -- but that's all. I can still remote in successfully if I come in as root, but not for my own user account.

The only hidden file difference I can see is that there is a directory file ~/.fontconfig in my user account home directory, and there is no such directory in other users' home directories nor in root's. I tried removing the file but the problem did not go away. (So I put it back, for the time being.)

Trying to find out about fonts, I read that the file ~/.gtkrc-1.2-gnome2 was important. However, the contents of the file in my home directory are the same as the contents in root's home directory. I don't understand it, either. .gtkrc-1.2-gnome2 says "include /home/jwilliamcupp/.gtkrc.mine" but there is no such file. Root's also says "include /root/.gtkrc.mine" but again there is no such file.

Can anyone give me some clues where to track down differences in fonts between one user and another?

Or, any ideas on what might be making all my panels blank?

(I'm using Fedora with GNOME.)

Thanks,
- Bill