Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!lll-winken!uunet!van-bc!tacitus!clh
From: clh@tacitus.tfic.bc.ca (Chris Hermansen)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.postscript
Subject: Re: Need font info
Message-ID: <108@tacitus.tfic.bc.ca>
Date: 14 Sep 89 01:26:13 GMT
References: <119@ark1.nswc.navy.mil> <1449@intercon.com> <124647@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>
Reply-To: clh@tacitus.UUCP (Chris Hermansen)
Organization: Timberline Forest Inventory Consultants, Vancouver BC
Lines: 46


>>> Are they all copyrighted by Adobe?
>>
>>The PostScript programs that draw the fonts are.  The character outlines
>>themselves are usually either licensed from a type company such as ITC or
>>Mergenthaler, or proprietary to Adobe (the Stone typefaces, for instance).
>
>Well, close, but no cigar.  The outlines themselves are not licesned, the
>NAME is.  The outline fonts themselves are drawn by Adobe as well. 
>
>Due to a glitch in copywright laws, and the fact that most existing type-
>faces have been around for hundreds of years, typefaces cannot be copywrighted.

Gee, sorry to be a bit thick here, but I'm more confused than ever on this.

Suppose I do the following:
	- buy a PostScript printer
	- write a PostScript program and run it on said printer, the
	  results of which are Times character outlines printed on paper
	- digitize those outlines for use in some other program, calling
	  the font QQSV
	- use that other program to make a bunch of sales brochures
	- offer to give those digitized outlines to a friend down the street
	  with the same other program
	- sell those outlines to a customer for his own use.

Have all/some/none of the above infringed on Adobe's (or anyone elses')
copyright?  What about the printer manufacturer?  What about the
"derivative products" and "own use" sections of the copyright law?

What if I used those outlines to create a bunch of rubber stamps, instead
of involving computers?

And one last comment/question: the status page that gets emitted by my
current PostScript printer states the Times, Helvetica, and Palatino
font families are registered trademarks of Linotype Corp, a bunch more belong
to ITC, and that PostScript is, of course, Adobe's.  However, stuff like
Courier and New Century Schoolbook don't have any (R), (C), or TM next to
them.  What's going on here?

Clarification will be most appreciated.

Chris Hermansen                         Timberline Forest Inventory Consultants
Voice: 1 604 733 0731                   302 - 958 West 8th Avenue
FAX:   1 604 733 0634                   Vancouver B.C. CANADA
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