Re: Aqua icons from system fonts

FROM : Andrew Merenbach
DATE : Fri Dec 10 19:24:03 2004

As part of the Webdings font, I also found it interesting that 
UnicodeChecker allowed for two other font variations--Wingdings and 
MonoType Sorts, and sometimes others.  (Although I had a heck of a time 
getting any of the symbols into Photoshop CS--some Unicode support may 
be there, but even setting the font to Webdings (for which it showed 
Regular mode), it displayed a completely different symbol.  I had to 
make an alpha-channel TIFF from the character and then manipulate 
*that* in PS to get it to work.

With regard to the legality issue, I searched the MS web site and found 
the following:
<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/learnmore/tips/
usewebdings.mspx>

They ordain the use of Webdings and such fonts in Windows Movie Maker 
movies, and says nothing about copyright infringement if those movies 
are distributed.  (I also don't see how what OS platform it is would 
affect things.)

On the other hand, they do say on one of their copyright pages that 
certain MS fonts, including Webdings, are not available for 
redistribution.

My logic, though, would be--and correct me if I'm wrong--that it would 
be perfectly legal for me to display the characters _as text_ in my 
toolbar by referencing the font.  It's a small step to draw the font at 
runtime into an NSImage and then stylise it slightly, *then* on-the-fly 
insert it into the toolbar.  And from there it's a short step to 
enhancing the glyph in an image editor and bundling it with the 
program, since it's only a couple of characters, rather than a usable 
representation of the entire font.

But if it's the bundling that's the copyright issue, this means, then, 
that I can indeed generate the glyph as an image on-the-fly (at 
runtime) and insert it (after applying whatever code-based 
transformations and enhancements I desire) into my toolbar, since it 
would be identical in effect to using the text in the toolbar itself? 
(And if I am wrong, that very last one--using the text characters 
themselves--is still unquestionably _legal_, isn't it?)

If it comes down to it, I may have to consult a lawyer, but it seems 
that a quick study of the issues of precedent and fair use could 
supersede a need for the time, effort, or money involved.

Cheers,
   Andrew

On 10 Dec 2004, at 07:10, glenn andreas wrote:

>
> On Dec 10, 2004, at 12:55 AM, Andrew Merenbach wrote:
>

>> Whilst looking for free toolbar icons for my program, I stumbled in 
>> UnicodeChecker upon one of Apple's <private use> areas that has 
>> hundreds of symbols that would (with some aquification or other 
>> enhancements) be perfect for toolbars.  A paper tray with an up arrow 
>> and one with a down arrow would be an excellent choice, in my first 
>> impression, for import and export features.
>>
>> I've read through previous postings, but haven't found much about 
>> using such symbols in our icons.  Is there any reason not to, 
>> provided that we can stylise them to appear a nice part of the 
>> interface?
>>
>> Cheers,
>>     Andrew Merenbach
>>
>> P.S.: For those who wish to examine the symbols, I used 
>> UnicodeChecker (www.earthlingsoft.net) and have been examining the 
>> range that includes Decimal 61650 and 61651 (hex F0D2 and F0D3), for 
>> the trays.  The rest of the symbols appear fairly contiguous about 
>> that region.

>
> If you look with the Character palette, you'll discover that those are 
> just glyphs found in the WebDings font (and not some super secret 
> hidden magic pictures).  As such, it would be no different than taking 
> glyphs from any other font, enhancing them, and using them in a 
> toolbar.  Now, is this a "derived work" or "fair use" (especially if 
> you just use one or two)?  Looking at the font 
> (/Library/Fonts/Webdings) reveals:
>
> "Copyright: Copyright (c) 1997 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights 
> reserved."
>
> So if you really want to be safe, you'll need to determine (and 
> probably with a laywer) if using a modified version of the these 
> glyphs is a derived work or fair use, and if it is the former, you'll 
> need to contact Microsoft for permission.
>