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You wouldn't steal a font

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Re: You wouldn't steal a font

#121

Post by tiagod »

neilpanchal wrote: post #106
EvanAnderson wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it a mistake, on page 4 of the linked datasheet, that "SemiBold" is shown for two different weights? I can't help but think that something like "DemiBold" was what the lighter weight was supposed to be labeled.

Yes, that's a typo. Need to redo the entire datasheet and possibly find a way to automate it using reportlab or some other PDF library. Right now, it is in InDesign and it is a pain to keep updating it.

I've been using Typst to generate PDF reports and it's pretty nice.

Re: You wouldn't steal a font

#122

Post by nativeit »

nla wrote: post #120

Bought the Adobe Font Folio -- TWICE. Now, every single font in the font folio is free with a $30./month Adobe sub.

> ...every single font in the font folio is free with a $30./month Adobe sub.

That's an interesting definition of "free," but it's relevant that the subscription doesn't grant a perpetual license.

Re: You wouldn't steal a font

#123

Post by babypuncher »

gkoberger wrote: post #109
tptacek wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is maybe nothing in the entire world that I am less sympathetic towards than the cause of font piracy / font liberation. You have perfectly good --- in fact, historically excellent --- fonts loaded by default for free on any computer you buy today. Arguing for the oppression of font licenses is, to me, like arguing about how much it costs to buy something at Hermès. Just don't shop at Hermès.

I agree the average person is likely fine with the fonts on their computer, but this is profoundly misunderstanding the importance of design. Typefaces are incredibly important, and have been for centuries. I'd argue that complaining about font prices is less like a Hermes bag, and more like complaining about high-end ingredients when a supermarket has cheap stuff. Yes, you can get away with cheaper materials when co…

My problem with this analogy is that there are dozens if not hundreds of free typefaces that are exceptionally high quality and have stood the test of time.

The "problem" with free typefaces isn't their quality, it's their ubiquity. Since everyone can use them, they are used everywhere. Licensing something less common can help your product stand out from the crowd.

Re: You wouldn't steal a font

#124

Post by AlchemistCamp »

tptacek wrote: post #92
phony-account wrote: post #24

Is this the wrong time to rant about font licensing though? I’ve always bought and paid for fonts, but as I’ve gradually transitioned to mobile app development, I one day realized that all the fonts I bought for print are now worthless to me. These crazy outdated licenses that let you print as many magazines or books you want forever, for a one-time price. But if your hobby is making apps, then suddenly the same font…

There is maybe nothing in the entire world that I am less sympathetic towards than the cause of font piracy / font liberation. You have perfectly good --- in fact, historically excellent --- fonts loaded by default for free on any computer you buy today. Arguing for the oppression of font licenses is, to me, like arguing about how much it costs to buy something at Hermès. Just don't shop at Hermès.

Hermes doesn't forbid you from wearing your watch or charge 10x more for you to wear it while playing a mobile game.

I think a lot of the anger is more about the complexity and price discrimination than the absolute price.

Re: You wouldn't steal a font

#125

Post by shermantanktop »

gkoberger wrote: post #116
fmbb wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are roughly zero apps out there that would ”deeply suffer” from having to use freely available and/or system supported fonts.

That's not true at all. You think games would feel as immersive if everything was Calibri? Magazine-style articles would feel as tactile if they all used the same system fonts? Etc. You may not care about fonts, but to say they don't matter is a misunderstanding. For example, I could glibly say we only need one programming language (the user doesn't care what syntax you used before it was compiled down to 1s and 0s!)…

I admire your passion, but... as someone who is not deeply interested in fonts, I view them in largely functional terms. Can I read it? Does it look ok?

Programming language choice has an aesthetic side, but it is also very much a functional concern. Can I write secure code? Will it be performant? Will it be maintainable?

Different languages represent different functional tradeoffs. Are fonts really the same kind of thing? IOW, how would you make a choice between using Arial vs. Helvetica?

Re: You wouldn't steal a font

#126

Post by nogridbag »

gkoberger wrote: post #116
fmbb wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are roughly zero apps out there that would ”deeply suffer” from having to use freely available and/or system supported fonts.

That's not true at all. You think games would feel as immersive if everything was Calibri? Magazine-style articles would feel as tactile if they all used the same system fonts? Etc. You may not care about fonts, but to say they don't matter is a misunderstanding. For example, I could glibly say we only need one programming language (the user doesn't care what syntax you used before it was compiled down to 1s and 0s!)…

Avatar was pretty immersive! And they just did Select-All and chose Papyrus!

Re: You wouldn't steal a font

#128

Post by andirk »

charcircuit wrote: post #6
azalemeth wrote: post #4

That is an absolutely brilliant turn of events – strong evidence that the font in an anti-piracy campaign was itself arguably a copyright-infringing knock-off. Someone should sue FACT for copyright infringement – and refuse to settle.

You can't copyright a font.

"You wouldn't copyright a font"

Re: You wouldn't steal a font

#129

Post by nativeit »

This comment section is precisely what I expected upon discovering this very funny anecdote regarding the irony and hypocrisy involved with the infamous anti-piracy advocacy of the late '90's/early '00s. Peak HN--didactic, humorless, and lost in its own takes about the absolute least relevant detail of the story: font licensing.

This sounds very critical, but I assure you, these are my people. I rather find it very reassuring, even a little charming.

Don't ever change HN.

Re: You wouldn't steal a font

#130

Post by gkoberger »

nogridbag wrote: post #126
gkoberger wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not true at all. You think games would feel as immersive if everything was Calibri? Magazine-style articles would feel as tactile if they all used the same system fonts? Etc. You may not care about fonts, but to say they don't matter is a misunderstanding. For example, I could glibly say we only need one programming language (the user doesn't care what syntax you used before it was compiled down to 1s and 0s!)…

Avatar was pretty immersive! And they just did Select-All and chose Papyrus!

They updated it for the sequel, and one example doesn't nullify thousands of years of design.

But to go down that path from a logical standpoint... Papyrus isn't on my computer (OSX) for whatever reason, and it doesn't come on Linux. Papyrus isn't a free, public font... it's licensed by its owner (ITC), so the only reason you can use it on your computer is because someone is paying a license for you to see it.

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