Re: Licensing Fonts

[John Hasler]

Geoffrey Washburn writes:
> I was under the impression that by agreeing to the Berne convention, the
> United States must "respect the copyright on fonts, if such copyright
> exists in the countries they were designed in.

>From TITLE 17 CHAPTER 1 § 102:

  The Committee has considered, but chosen to defer, the possibility of
  protecting the design of typefaces. A typeface can be defined as a set of
  letters, numbers, or other symbolic characters, whose forms are related
  by repeating design elements consistently applied in a notational system
  and are intended to be embodied in articles whose intrinsic utilitarian
  function is for use in composing text or other cognizable combinations of
  characters. The Committee does not regard the design of typeface, as thus
  defined, to be a copyrightable pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work
  within the meaning of this bill and the application of the dividing line
  in section 101.

>From TITLE 17 CHAPTER 1 § 104:

  (c) Effect of Berne Convention.  No right or interest in a work eligible
  for protection under this title may be claimed by virtue of, or in
  reliance upon, the provisions of the Berne Convention, or the adherence
  of the United States thereto. Any rights in a work eligible for
  protection under this title that derive from this title, other Federal or
  State statutes, or the common law, shall not be expanded or reduced by
  virtue of, or in reliance upon, the provisions of the Berne Convention,
  or the adherence of the United States thereto.
-- 
John Hasler 
john@dhh.gt.org
Dancing Horse Hill
Elmwood, WI USA