[OpenFontLibrary] [GFD] OFL-FAQ update draft and web fonts paper

[Vernon Adams]

Is it not possible to include with a font, alongside the OFL, a 'pre-emptive permission' text that gives the user the go-ahead to use the RFN named in OFL text when a font has been modified by subsetting, re-hinting, etc, (i would have to think of the full list) ?? Seems a sensible solution to me. 

-vernon


On 24 May 2013, at 16:34, Victor Gaultney <vweb at gaultney.org> wrote:

> On 24 May 2013, at 20:26, Thomas Phinney <tphinney at cal.berkeley.edu> wrote:
> 
>> I had assumed that including the RFN as part of the new name would be inappropriate. I suppose it could depend on whether the RFN was a trademark or not. The OFL is rather silent in this area.
> 
> It's up to the copyright holder. Some would *love* to have the RFNs used in derivative names by those they trust, and could even require that in their permission agreement. Others want the opposite. The OFL does not speak to this other than to say "if you modify this font, and the author has declared an RFN, talk to them and work out together what is best for this specific situation".
> 
> Personally I love the idea of web fonts services (or frankly any service or individual that modifies fonts to improve them) appending a recognisable suffix to the name. This will still require separate permission if RFNs are declared, but would go a long way to avoiding the confusion and frustration that Adam has so colourfully described. It would also show a value-added quality to the font. For example, say Paratype were to take our Gentium Plus font and hint the Roman and Cyrillic to look awesome on Android. With our permission they could call it 'Gentium Plus PT' and people would flock to them to get their improved derivative (hey - we'd even use it!). The world would also then think - hmmmm maybe we could hire them to do the same wonders for ours, or to begin to trust 'PT' derivatives over others.
> 
> Have a great weekend,
> 
> V
> 
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