Re: Japanese font license problem
On Tue, 7 Oct 2003, Andrew Suffield wrote:
>On Tue, Oct 07, 2003 at 10:59:22AM +0900, Kenshi Muto wrote:
>> As a result of KANOU's investigation, LABO123 32-dot font is same as the
>> bitmap font (TYPEBANK Mincho M) that was developed by TYPEBANK Co.,
>Are these all bitmap fonts, then?
>In some countries (notably the US), copyright does not subsist in
>bitmap fonts. Anybody know if they are in Japan, and if so, is that
>honoured in the rest of the world?
IMHO, this is irrelevant here. Legally, copyright on the
fonts exists in a very few countries at all (AFAIK in the UK,
Germany and Sweden). But the font foundries well known as
aggressive defenders and enforcers of their (mostly
legally-nonexistent) "intellectual prioperty rights".
In this case, it is very unlikely that TYPEBANK Co. will win
a lawsuit in any country. After all, similarity is not implies
derivative work. But it is very likely that they will threaten,
harass and terrorize everyyone who will ever touch their
"intellectual property".
So, it is not question of law - it is a question of safety.
Reply to: