[Fontconfig] Fontconfig in Slackware 9

[Internet user]

Hello,
I upgraded from Slackware 8.1 to 9.0 (following the instructions 
provided by Slackware upgrade) After I finished, I upgraded my KDE 
(primary GUI) to 3.1.1.and then to 3.1.1a. Now, Mozilla, Gftp and some 
other Gnome applications (including Gnome itself) could not be started 
at all. I checked the logs and I saw there was a problem with fonts that 
could not be found. I upgraded my fontconfig to 2.2, and surprise, the 
applications works. But the fonts on my screen are not well rendered and 
in Koffice or other similar applications most of the fonts from a family 
looks the same on the screen. Not mentionig that all the "courier type 
fonts appear witha very large kening (large spaces between letters, 
expanded) What sould I do? Do I have to install other font applications? 
Where are many of my fonts from /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts? I had a lot 
and now I see just a few. How can I install Adobe type 1 fonts and to 
have it displayed correctly using fontconfig? Why is Gnome related with 
fontconfigand KDE could work without it (I could simply delete or move 
/etc/fonts and I do not have the problem of displaying fonts, but 
Mozilla and Gftp woun't work)

Could you guide me also to some documentation? (please, don't do ONLY 
this.)

Thank you in advance
Cristian
Bucharest