Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!rutgers!husc6!seismo!mcnc!rti-sel!scirtp!root
From: root@scirtp.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.text,misc.legal
Subject: Re: Font Copyrights
Message-ID: <911@scirtp.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 8-Apr-87 13:26:19 EST
Article-I.D.: scirtp.911
Posted: Wed Apr  8 13:26:19 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Apr-87 07:13:04 EST
References: <792@bobkat.UUCP> <445@unirot.UUCP> <446@unirot.UUCP> <447@unirot.UUCP> <291@pluto.UUCP> <483@unirot.UUCP>
Organization: SCI Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC
Lines: 30
Xref: utgpu comp.text:632 misc.legal:1040

> Type can't be copyrighted!  Read the article by Charles Bigelow that I
> posted here a while ago.  You can copyright the digital representation
> of a typeface (e.g., the bitmap or the PostScript code that produces it),
> as these are considered programs and data; however, once the type hits
> the page, it can't be copyrighted and therefore doesn't fall under the
> domain of the "(C) 1986 ..."  In other words, you can lift fonts from
> any printed page, you simply can't call them by their trademarks.
> 
> Pat Wood
> Editor, The PostScript Language Journal

Two recent articles in THE TYPOGRAPHER, published by the Typographers
International Association, discussed some developments in type copy-
rights.

In the Jan/Feb issue, there was a report of the US Copyright Office's
request for comment on the "copyrightability of digitized type data."
This is distinct from the issue of analog typeface design copyrights.

Two sidebars contain pro (from Bitstream) and con (from Compaq) statements. 

Unfortunately, the article did not state the closing date for comments.

The Mar/Apr issue reported on legislative efforts (H.R. 1179 and S. 791).
These bills, if passed, will "give protection to 'useful articles.'" 
Typefaces were specifically included in the Senate version.

The bills do not propose retroactive protection, so the potential effects 
on the issue of analog typeface design copyrights are not clear now.
You could contact your Congressperson for more info.