From: Grant Hutchinson (grant_at_splorp.com)
Date: Sat Jan 31 2004 - 14:49:35 PST
In a previous message, Andrew Beals typed vigorously:
>> Keep in mind that both Gill Sans [1] and Humanist [2] are licensed
>> commercial typefaces. Buy a copy from a reputable typeface distributor and
>> stay legal.
>
>To wit the names of the typefaces are protected by Copyright but the faces
>themselves [printed representation] are not. This is one of the more
>bizarre aspects of copyright law in the United States.
A very good point, Andrew. It is bizarre. But a typeface as a piece of
software is still bound via the original vendor's end user license
agreement, and therefore restricted in terms of redistribution and
decompilation.
Although the graphic representation of a typeface cannot be copyrighted,
the algorithmic or programmatic description of the face can also
protected through a design patent, just as any software program can. I
don't profess to be an expert on this topic - I just want to point out
the various tangents regarding the copyrighting of fonts.
http://www.atypi.org/10_Visitors/60_legal/30_typeface_protection/feinberg_h
tml
g.
......................................................................
Grant Hutchinson } Interface Considerations & Toys
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