GPL font exception
GPL compatible Yes | | |
Copyleft | Yes | |
---|---|---|
Website | www |
The GPL font exception clause (or GPL+FE, for short) is an optional clause that can be added to the
Origin
The font exception was authored in April 2005 by David "Novalis" Turner, a Free Software Foundation GPL compliance engineer. As he explains, "The situation we were considering was one where a font was embedded in a document (rather than merely referenced). Embedding allows a document to be viewed as the author intended it even on machines that don't have that font installed. So, the document (a copyrighted work) would be derived from the font program (another work). The text of the document, of course, would be unrestricted when distributed without the font."[3][4]
To be in compliance with the GPL,
Usage
To indicate a font exception to the GPL, a digital font creator adds the following language to the end of the GPL text distributed with their font:[8]
As a special exception, if you create a document which uses this font, and embed this font or unaltered portions of this font into the document, this font does not by itself cause the resulting document to be covered by the GNU General Public License. This exception does not however invalidate any other reasons why the document might be covered by the GNU General Public License. If you modify this font, you may extend this exception to your version of the font, but you are not obligated to do so. If you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your version.
See also
- SIL Open Font License (created November 2005)
References
- ^ "Legal Considerations for fonts". Fedora Project. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ Crossland, Dave (2011). "Copyleft Business" (PDF). Libre Graphics Magazine. 1 (2): 12–13. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ Desjardins, Louis (20 April 2005). "[Scribus] Response from the FSF about GPL fonts". Scribus discussion list. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ Turner, David "Novalis". "Font Licensing". FSF Blog. Free Software Foundation. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ "Licensing:LiberationFontLicense". Fedora Project. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ Baghumian, Alan (12 May 2007). "License question: GPL+Exception". debian-legal (Mailing list). Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ Willis, Nathan. "The Ubuntu font and a fresh look at open font licensing". LWN.net. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
- ^ "GPL FAQ". GNU.org. Retrieved 5 June 2015.