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From: Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.fonts
Subject: Re: HP LaserJet Downloadable Fonts
Message-ID: <16280@cup.portal.com>
Date: 26 Mar 89 22:03:26 GMT
References: <1736@trantor.harris-atd.com> <229800002@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu> <609@jc3b21.UUCP>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
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mcdonald@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu writes:

> Another possibility would be to find someone who has a set of downloadable
> fonts, either from HP, from Bitstream (e.g. the ones I got free with
> WordPerfect) or from a cloner. Make a copy of them on floppies.
> Use debug to edit out the copyright, and change the name of the font
> to something else. Then take them home and use them. Give them to your
> friends. The BIT PATTERNS of the fonts cannot be copyrighted
> or patented or protected in any other way (unless of course you
> buy them after signing some sort of paper saying you agree to give
> away your rights!). The names can be and are protected.

    I have the longest fuse of just about anyone I know, yet in 9 years
online, I cannot remember when a message provoked me to so much anger.
The above message is obscene and callous.

    Do you realize how long it takes an artist to design a bitmap font?
About 3-20 hours depending on size and complexity.  Do you realize how long
it takes to design a vector font?  About 50-300 hours, again depending on
size and complexity.  And I'm not talking about quick and dirty fonts, I'm
referring to polished, finished, tested and debugged products that look
good on the screen and on paper and include alternate characters.

    Do you realize how much artists earn?  Only 1 in 2000 artists with a
masters degree gets work in his or her field.  You'll find a huge number   
behind the counters in art supply stores, fast food outlets,      
restaurants, etc.  working for low or minimum wages.  You get the picture.
Is it OK to rip off source code, paintings, photographs, books??  You're
taking food out of real people's mouths.

> And, most important, call you congressman to make sure it stays
> this way!

    I have a counter suggestion.  Call your congress representative and
suggest that font artists have as much right to protection for fonts as
everyone else has for intellectual and artistic property.  Why the h*#l
should they be exploited in the way you suggest?  I think you should
rethink your views.  Or try earn a living for a while as a font designer.
I'm a font designer.  You'll have trouble supporting yourself, much less a
family on those kind of wages.  Your attitute is what one would expect from
a naive youngster still living at home.   It's time to grow up.              
                                                         \_
                                                          )\_            _/
                                                          `/)\_     __  //
        __ _____________________________________________   `\\)\_  / '~//
       ///  Julie Petersen  (LadyHawke@cup.portal.com       `\\//\\/|'//'
      ///           Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com)       (\/Yyyy/'
__   ///  "TimeLords aren't supposed to interfere."         /Yyyy/'
\\\ ///  "This one calls himself 'Doctor' and interferes   //\\   LadyHawke
 \\///  all the time." _______________________________   ///\\\