GPL font exception

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Logo used by the community for the GPL + FE

The GPL Font Exception , GPL + FE for short , is an optional additional clause for the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL), which explicitly allows digital fonts to be passed on in a digital document without this itself under the terms of the GNU GPL to pass on. Without this exception, a conflict would be conceivable when the fonts are used in standard desktop publishing . Dave Crossland explains in Libre Graphics Magazine that the copyleft of a font potentially extends into the contents of a document, if not explicitly excluded, as well as into text, photographs, illustrations, and designs that use portions of the font. "Most free fonts have a license designed in this way, for example the SIL OFL or the GNU GPL with the font exception as described in the GPL FAQ."

origin

The Font Exception was drafted in April 2005 by the GPL compliance engineer David "Novalis" Turner with the explanation that the situation under consideration was that in which a font is embedded in a document (instead of just being referenced). “Embedding ensures that the document is displayed exactly as the author intended, especially on computers that do not have the font used. The document (a [correction: potentially] copyrighted work) is thus a derivative work of the font [lit. the font program ; TrueType and OpenType fonts contain program code] (from another work). The text of the document itself is of course unaffected by the copyright of the font if it is passed on without it. "

In order to remain compatible with the GPL, Red Hat has added the font exception to the Liberation license for Fedora Linux , but with certain restrictions. These restrictions fueled further discussion among Debian community members . Encouraged by this attention, Ubuntu published the Ubuntu Font License because its members were neither convinced of the SIL OFL nor the GPL + FE.

use

To add the font exception to the license of a font , the author of the font can add the following text to the GPL license text:

“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. "

As a special exception, if you create a document that uses this font and embed this font [in whole] or unchanged portions of that font in the document, you do not have to embed the document [the entire work] under the GNU because of this embedding General Public License . This exception does not affect any other [potential] reasons that you would need to put the document under the GNU General Public License . If you change this font, you can apply this exception to your variant of the font, but you are not obliged to do so. If you do not want to apply this exception to your variant, delete this passage from your variant. "

- GPL FAQ, Font Exception section

The German translation given here is for illustration only and should not be used as a license text.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Legal Considerations for fonts. In: Fedora Project. Retrieved May 14, 2020 (English).
  2. ^ Dave Crossland: Copyleft Business . In: Libre Graphics Magazine . tape 1 , no. 2 , 2011, p. 12–13 (English, online [PDF; 10.0 MB ; accessed on May 14, 2020]): “A copyleft font may overreach into the documents that use it, unless an exception is made to the normal terms; an additional permission to allow people to combine parts of a font with a document without affecting the license of texts, photographs, illustrations and designs. Most libre fonts today have such a copyleft license - the SIL OFL or GNU GPL with the Font Exception described in the GPL FAQ. ”
  3. ^ Louis Desjardins: [Scribus] Response from the FSF about GPL fonts. In: Scribus discussion list. Retrieved May 14, 2020 (English).
  4. ^ David "Novalis" Turner: Font Licensing. In: FSF Blog. Free Software Foundation, accessed on May 14, 2020 (English): “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. "
  5. ↑ Licensing: LiberationFontLicense. In: Fedora Project. Retrieved May 14, 2020 (English).
  6. ↑ Alan Baghumian: License question: GPL + exception. In: Debian Legal discussion list. Retrieved May 14, 2020 (English).
  7. ^ Nathan Willis: The Ubuntu font and a fresh look at open font licensing. In: LWN.net. Retrieved May 14, 2020 (English).
  8. ↑ GPL FAQ. In: GNU.org. Retrieved May 14, 2020 (English).
  9. ↑ GPL FAQ. In: GNU.org. Retrieved on May 14, 2020 (English): “It would be useful to have translations of the GPL into languages ​​other than English. People have even written translations and sent them to us. But we have not dared to approve them as officially valid. That carries a risk so great we do not dare accept it. […] Instead, we are […] [r] eferring people to unofficial translations. "
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