Re: Aqua icons from system fonts

FROM : John Stiles
DATE : Fri Dec 10 20:27:17 2004

If you rasterize the text into pixel form, you're perfectly safe. It's 
only when you start distributing the bezier-curves-and-control-points 
data (i.e. a TTF file) that you run into legal issues.


On Dec 10, 2004, at 10:24 AM, Andrew Merenbach wrote:

> 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.
>>

>
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