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Will W3C Accept DRM For Webfonts?

Posted by timothy on from the magic-8-ball-time dept.

dotne writes "Microsoft has submitted Embedded OpenType (EOT) to W3C and a slimy campaign for EOT has been launched. EOT is a DRM layer on top of normal TrueType/Opentype files; EOT ties a font file to a certain web page or site and prevents reuse by other pages/sites. Microsoft's IE has supported EOT for years, but it has largely been ignored due to the clumsiness of having to regenerate font files when a page changes. Now that other browsers are moving to support normal TrueType and OpenType on the web (Safari, Opera, Mozilla, Prince), W3C is faced with a question: should they bless Microsoft's EOT for use on the web? Or, should they encourage normal font files on the web and help break Microsoft's forgotten monopoly?"

3 of 315 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Loaded question by noctrl · · Score: 0, Troll

    hehe, exactly

    but,.. why posting as "Anonymous Coward"
    or can I say "American Coward" ??

  2. Simple by dedazo · · Score: -1, Troll

    If you want "special" fonts on your web pages, you're going to have to accept some form of DRM. Font designers are not going to allow their creations to be installed and used for free on a million PCs. That, regardless of whether a font can be considered a form of IP or not, etc.

    The question here is whether or not we want the special fonts. To me personally, the answer is no. Some people might feel differently, and so this might be a good option for them. Choice is important, as I am constantly told by the same people who think DRM is evil. As long a I can opt out of installing the font, just as I can opt out of installing an add-on I don't want, then fine. It's up to me to decide whether the degradation (if any) is acceptable.

    As to how this is "slimy", I leave it to the "badvista" and "defectivebydesign" champions to create another series of cute FSF-sponsored attack blogs to explain in minute detail and clever creating spelling the why of it to everyone, whether we are interested or not.

    And BTW, that "monopoly" was greatly aided by the early Linux desktop adopters. You sleep in the bed you make.

    --
    Web2.0: I love when people Flickr my cuil and digg my boingboing until my google is reddit and I start to yahoo
  3. Re:Loaded question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    The remaining 1% will be various trolls and flamebait.

    Here's what you can do with your 1%, you stupid gay nigger.