[Openfontlibrary] Non-Copyleft Openfontlibrary

[Christopher Fynn]

Fontfreedom at aol.com wrote:

> NO! SIL OFL does not allow them to share their fonts in a way which 
> allows others to make modifications to a font, then re-release the font 
> under the license of their own choosing.

As the developer of a font on OFLB (Jomolhari) I don't mind others 
modifying my font, and sharing that font with others. I certainly don't 
want anyone making minor modifications and then re-releasing the font 
"under the license of their own choosing"  which could be a restrictive 
commercial license.

That font took  a year to create - time for which I was not paid in any 
way and during which I had to meet all of my own expenses out of my own 
pocket. It was my choice to spend a year doing this and  also my choice 
  to make the resulting font available for others to use without any 
charge and to be free to modify or convert the font to other formats.

However I don't want to see any version of that font being sold for 
profit or falling under a commercial or proprietary license - or someone 
making minor modifications and copyrighting them. That would just be 
allowing someone else to cynically take financial advantage of all my 
hard work without doing much of anything themselves or it could mean 
that I couldn't make some improvement in my own font because someone 
might claim the improvement was already copyright.


I'm would be foolish to donate land for a public park without ensuring 
that and noone could come along, erect a small fence and claim it as 
their own personal or commercial property.

Releasing a font under GPL or OFL license simply ensures the font can 
freely be used or modified by anyone and that no one can claim 
proprietary or commercial rights.

If somebody does want a similar font to sell under a commercial license 
I'm perfectly willing to develop one for them for a fair price.

- Chris