Re: [gutvol-d] bb's alice uses copyrighted font
----- Original Message ----- From: "Lynne Anne Rhodes" <oxbow@spiritbase.net>
Sorry to keep on but I feel there is still confusion. Please correct me if I am wrong but my understanding of this issue is:
1. Glyphs are not copyrightable anywhere. Plenty of books abound with full sets of typeface glyphs with no hint of any copyright rules. Of course the book itself as a work bears it own copyright.
Typefaces *are* copyrightable and have been for some time. In fact, my recently purchased copy of Harry Potter contain a little blurb on the last page explaining the font used and its history as well as claiming a copyright on the font. Now, whether this copyright is enforceable, you'd have to talk with a lawyer. I don't know of any instances of it being challenged in court. I do know big companies like Microsoft, who employ more lawyers than some small countries boast, have paid a lot of money in the past for licenses for fonts, which they wouldn't need if there were no copyright attached to the typefaces. Josh
Typefaces *are* copyrightable and have been for some time. In fact, my recently purchased copy of Harry Potter contain a little blurb on the last page explaining the font used and its history as well as claiming a copyright on the font.
As always, when making such a claim, you need to mention what jurisdiciton you're talking about. In the U.S., 37 CFR 202.1 (Material not subject to copyright) says:
The following are examples of works not subject to copyright and applications for registration of such works cannot be entertained: [...] (e) Typeface as typeface.
Means that foundries have successfully used to work around this restriction include copyrighting the font as a computer program used to draw letters of the alphabet, and patenting the font as a method for presenting the letters of the alphabet. The first, however, provides only weak protection for the glyph-shape itself, if that shape can be produced by means substantially different from those used in the copyrighted font file. The second provides much stronger protection for the glyph-shape itself, but is of shorter duration. -- RS
participants (2)
-
Joshua Hutchinson -
Robert Shimmin