Re: Since we're talkin copyrights.

According to the Fair Use Doctrine (Section 110 (5) of the Copyright Act of
1976), it is allowable to use "limited portions" of a copyrighted item for
works such as commentary, news reporting, academic reports, and the like.

In your case however, the way I see it, (and this will vary with the
individual), whether or not the dynamic font is being distributed or not
isn't the issue. Assuming it is copyrighted, the font itself is being
modified and/or used and unless someone has permission to do so from the
author, it is in fact copyright infringement. This issue is the kind of
thing that is often overlooked by many developers and HTML hobbyists who
think, "Well, the web is soooo big...what's the odds of them seeing their
stuff on my site?".

*Sigh*

I dunno. To answer the question, from personal experience if there is any
question on whether you are infringing on copyright, I would try my best to
locate an author and ask permission. If you paid for use of a font (i.e.
Font cd-roms, font web sites, etc.), the you do in fact have the right to
*use* the font. However, I would be cautious of altering and/or distributing
it. It's a thin line.

For some interesting reading on the subject, try Yong-Cham Kim's "Copyright
and Internet" ( http://piolet.msu.edu/user/kimyong2/copy.htm ). That URL was
giving me problems so if it doesn't work, please don't hold it against me.
:) It discusses the Clinton administration's attempt to shape existing
copyright laws to apply more fully to the digital age. Clinton's commission,
The Information Infrastructure Task Force (IITF), made some suggestions in
their "White Paper" that have some people upset. Read all about it if you
can get it. I found it interesting. Also, check out the US Copyright
Office's web site at http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/

Other links:
The copyright web site -- http://www.benedict.com
Copyright and Fair Use - Stanford University -- http://fairuse.stanford.edu/


Just my two cents. =)

Sincerely
-D
------------------------
Derriel Cribbs
Network Administrator
Orange State Mechanical, Inc.
cribbs(at)isgroup.net


-----Original Message-----
From: M Gruenhagen <mgruenhagen(at)picinc.com>
To: hwg-graphics(at)hwg.org <hwg-graphics(at)hwg.org>
Date: Thursday, March 05, 1998 7:35 PM
Subject: Since we're talkin copyrights.


>I don't know if this question should be posed here or in techniques.
>But here goes...I have started incorporating dynamic font files into my
>friend's band's site.  Now there has been some chatter about copyright
>infringement by using dynamic fonts.  I would like to know where if any
>this kind of thing stands under copyright law.
>
>As I understand it IF the font is copyrighted then you do not have the
>right to make a copy or redistribute it.  But the way dynamic fonts work
>is that you are burning the font information into a pfr (portable font
>resource) file. So that it downloads with the page and can be viewed
>just like a graphic could on the site.  Now these files have to be
>specifically targeted to one website and cannot be carried over nor
>linked to from another site.  The viewer does not retain the file once
>they leave the site.  So is that copyright infringement?  You are not
>giving them a useable copy of the font file and you aren't making any
>money from it.  You aren't redistributing it, and in the case of the
>registered shareware fonts, you paid for them so that you could use them
>however you need to.  Be it for an advertisement, or a website.  Just no
>selling or redistribution.
>
>Any comments?
>
>M
>
>--
>"Once you start down the dark path forever will it dominate your
>destiny."
>
>
>

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