Applying the GPLv3 to Fonts

The GPLv3 did not fix the embedding-in-pdf problems of font software licensed under GPLv2.

I recommend all GPL fonts add the “font exception” advised by the FSF to their copyright declaration. (More information on Scribus mailing list and FSF Blog)

Red Hat has licensed its Liberation fonts under GPLv2 with this exception, but sadly they are not a god role model here.

They have added an additional “exception” which is in fact a restriction (an anti-tivoisation restriction, ironically):

(b)As a further exception, any distribution of the object code of the Software in a physical product must provide you the right to access and modify the source code for the Software and to reinstall that modified version of the Software in object code form on the same physical product on which you received it.

Since no further restrictions can be added, there is a big question over how they can be redistributed at all. This was discussed within Debian.

Once OSI approves GPLv3, then Red Hat can use GPLv3, and that has many improvements over GPLv2 including this kind of restriction.

Creative Commons License
The Applying the GPLv3 to Fonts by David Crossland, except the quotations and unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Comments

One Response to “Applying the GPLv3 to Fonts”

  1. Anivar Aravind on November 26th, 2007 11:18

    The Malayalam Font Meera Uses GPLv2 or later with Font exception

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