From: <http://www.gillhams.com/articles/352.cfm>
<< Typefaces, Fonts and Characters - Intellectual Property Protection in the United Kingdom Mechanically produced fonts and the characters comprising fonts are protected under UK law as typefaces. The legal definition for typefaces incorporates letters, numerals and ornamental motifs. Fonts and typefaces created for PCs, Apple computers and Linux systems however are protected are artistic works in the UK. Electronically Created Typefaces What is not made clear in the Act, but follows from basic principles of copyright is that electronically created fonts are protected by copyright, provided they are original. The protection is an indirect means of protecting the individual characters. Fonts are delivered in TrueType font, OpenFonts [sic] or PostScript formats. Each of these font formats are delivered as electronic files for installation on a Windows, Apple or Linux operating systems. These files qualify as literary works for the purposes of Part I of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 UK. Reproductions of these files must exist on the computer in order to be used as part of an application, such as InDesign, OpenOffice or Microsoft Word. The existence of these files in themselves are infringements, as the file has been copied in its entirety and is reproduced in the computer. Other qualifying criterion for copyright protection must be proved such as originality, (which is a low threshold test for protection under copyright law) in order to be successful in a claim for copyright infringement. .... >> _______________________________________________ Openfontlibrary mailing list Openfontlibrary@lists.freedesktop.org http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/openfontlibrary
