Legality of using Fonts

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Fri, 10 Feb 2006 09:08:28 -0800, Kamilche wrote:

> I have a question for all you Pythoneers out there. I'm making a game
> with Python, and have a need for fonts. I am currently using a free
> TrueType font, but am considering switching to a bitmap font instead.
> 
> Let's say I own a font, and use it in a paint program to 'draw some
> text' on a picture that I slap up on the Internet. Everything's
> probably fine, right? But what if I draw some text on a bitmap on the
> hard drive, add drop shadows and decorations, and use it to 'blit' text
> in a game? The answer is less obvious to me then.
> 
> Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated!

Free legal advice you get from non-lawyers on Usenet is worth 10% of what
you paid for it.

But generally speaking, for what it is worth (10% of nothing), you can
distribute *images* you design which happen to incorporate text from a
font, but you cannot distribute the font itself UNLESS the font is
provided under a licence which explicitly permits you to re-distribute it.

It is highly unlikely that any judge will be fooled by a mere change in
format ("but Your Honour, I converted the TTF file into a bitmap"). Adding
decorations and such merely means you have created a derivative work of
the font, which the licence may not permit.

I suggest that you use a font which comes under a clearly free to
distribute licence, or you design your own.


-- 
Steven.