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Unintended Consequences of Using GPL Fonts

Posted by timothy on from the say-what-now dept.

innocent_white_lamb writes "An interesting discussion has surfaced on the Scribus mailing list. Simply stated, it appears that using GPL-licensed fonts in a document makes your document subject to the GPL. There are a lot of consequences here, such as internal corporate communications. It appears to make the use of GPL fonts undesirable in almost any document." Yes, it sounds crazy, but the experimental font-exception addition to the GPL (linked from the discussion) lends the idea some credence.

9 of 514 comments (clear)

  1. Not to mention GPL'd words by LuxFX · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you think it's bad that using certain fonts makes your documents 'open' -- then watch out for those GPL'd words! If you use words like "open," "free," or "fair" or phrases like "as in speech" or "as in beer" then your document will also fall under GPL licensing!

    When asked for comments, a Microsoft spokesperson said, "Well, we certainly don't know anything about 'open' or 'free,' and I'm pretty certain our company has never acknowledged the existance of the word 'fair.' We will be opening an investigation to make sure that other communist...uh...GPL'd phrases are not and will not ever appear in our literature."

    --
    Punctanym: alternate spelling of words using punctuation or numerals in place of some or all of its letters; see 'leet'
  2. Re:Doubtful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I don't know where you're from, but round these parts we work in metric fucktonnes.

  3. Re:This must be why lawyers get paid so much... by spectre_240sx · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's easy. About 90% of it translates roughly to "Please bend over."

  4. Re:GNU Privacy Guard by bcmm · · Score: 2, Funny

    OMFG! You would have to give the email's SOURCE CODE to the recipient along with the binary! That SUCKS!
    Oh wait...

    You already did, and there was no binary!

    --
    # cat /dev/mem | strings | grep -i llama
    Damn, my RAM is full of llamas.
  5. Re:Why not... by vt0asta · · Score: 5, Funny
    Or even better, since it's just a damned font anyways, put it under the god damned public domain so anyone can use it without restrictions.

    I mean, come on, it's a damned font.

    Why do you hate America?

    --
    No.
  6. Re:Why not... by Geoffreyerffoeg · · Score: 3, Funny

    put it under the god damned public domain

    Holden Caulfield? Is that you?

  7. Re:Why not... by StuffJustHappens · · Score: 5, Funny

    All your (upper and lower) case are belong to us!?

    --
    --What's this sig thing all about then? Should I have one?
  8. Re:GNU Privacy Guard by strider44 · · Score: 3, Funny

    You obviously have to give the source code (the original email) along with the encrypted binary.

  9. Re:Why not... by 2old2rockNroll · · Score: 3, Funny

    How would you like to use Times New Roman on your wedding invitation?

    That's probably not a very worrisome question on Slashdot.