From: byer@adobe.com (Scott Byer)
Subject: Re: font convertors from adobe to postscript
Reply-To: byer@adobe.com (Scott Byer)
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 17:32:14 GMT

Ben Goren writes

> I'm not sure if the restriction is one copy per computer, or one
> copy per printer, or what. I've heard that it's OK to purchase an
> Adobe font, and distribute it to all the people on the network who
> print to the same printer. I've also heard that you can't do that.
> And what about ATM, if the first is true? Anybody at Adobe care to
> clear this up? And any other font vendors who might have a different
> policy?

I happen to have here, in my pocket, a smaller summary of the
license done by one of our lawyers in something more readable than
legaleze.  It's somewhat more understandable than the full blown
license on the package.  But it is rather dated at this point, and
I'm not sure if it's a valid interprtation of the current full
license any longer.

The common practice of buying one copy of a font and having many
machines use it is illegal according to this interpretation.
However, since this interpretation is dated, and the situation for
fonts has changed over the past year, you'll have to read a copy
of the latest licence to be sure.

My interpretation of certain things in the summary (warning; only
my interpretation) is as follows:

One display and output device combination refers to at a time.  If
you own a font, you can take a copy with you to print somewhere,
but it must leave with you also.  If you own two machines, a Mac
and a NeXT, you can have only one of those machines using the font
at any ane time.

Alter refers to the font program itself, not the format it's in.
That is, it's fine to take a Type 1 font program from Macintosh
format to Unix format, but it's not okay to translate that font
with a utility into a TrueType font program.

--- cut here ---

Summary of License Terms for Adobe's Coded Font Programs

Note: This is merely a summary of the terms of agreements
used by Adobe at the time this was written. The form of
license agreement used  are subject to change by Adobe
at any time. You are encouraged to read the license
agreement carefully at the time you wish to obtain a
license to use this or any software.

	If you enter into Adobe's license agreement for
coded font programs, the standard license terms
allow you to use the outline font programs and the bitmap
screen fonts to reproduce typefaces solely for your own
customary or business or personal use on a single computer
attached to a single output device (such as a printer,
typesetter, film recorder) which either contains a
PostScript language interpreter or is attached to a
central processing unit utilizing the Adobe Type Manager
software or the Display PostScript system.  You may also
receive a multi-printer license to permit use on a number
of these systems.

	The applicable limits on the resolution of the
screen and output device and printer speed are
described in detail in your license agreement.

	You agree not to alter, reverse engineer or
disassemble the fonts.  You may make one (1) copy
of the fonts solely for backup purposes and for use on
the single output device or devices, if applicable, as
described above.  Otherwise, you may not make any copies
of the fonts, and you may not distribute the fonts to
any other party.
 
	You may also use the trademarks used by Adobe
and its suppliers to identify the printed output
from the fonts.


--
Scott Byer                             NeXTMail: byer@mv.us.adobe.com
Adobe Systems Incorporated               These are *my* opinions, and  
1585 Charleston Road, P.O. Box 7900        do not necessarily reflect
Mountain View, CA 94039-7900             the opinions of my employer.
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Newsgroups: comp.lang.postscript