Font licensing and identification

[Swa]

I've been using autography personally and for samples. Getting it from fontspace I was concerned that if I go commercial this might actually be if I'm lucky a free or open source font being passed off as a commercial one but what I found is much worse. Autography and Abretha look to be exactly the same font bar a few pixel differences. Not only that but a couple of other fonts have some matching letters with only a few different ones thrown in.

So what would be the ethical and legal concerns if it turned out I buy a pirated font? On the other hand if I can find that all these fonts are derived from a free or commons font don't they fall under the same use?

 

[MagNorthDigital]

It depends on the license the original font (vector shapes, artwork) was distributed. And then under what agreement you bought it. You of course have to prove that you bought it and agreed to that license.

I ain't no lawyer, but someone is going to ask you to prove this paper trail, and you don't know what agreement the parties had as far as IP. So if you can prove you payed, and the conditions you agreed to. The rest is on the site you gave your money to.

 

[Swa]

It depends on the license the original font (vector shapes, artwork) was distributed. And then under what agreement you bought it. You of course have to prove that you bought it and agreed to that license.

I ain't no lawyer, but someone is going to ask you to prove this paper trail, and you don't know what agreement the parties had as far as IP. So if you can prove you payed, and the conditions you agreed to. The rest is on the site you gave your money to.

Yes but this tells me nothing about what my rights are if it turns out to be copied. This is more a moral dilemma about paying someone for doing exactly what you want to avoid doing. People are hardly ever asked to provide proof even if IP is identified so I guess if it satisfies the conscience paying for it it's all good? I'm also doubting at this point if I'll be using it commercially.

 

[MagNorthDigital]

Yes but this tells me nothing about what my rights are if it turns out to be copied. This is more a moral dilemma about paying someone for doing exactly what you want to avoid doing. People are hardly ever asked to provide proof even if IP is identified so I guess if it satisfies the conscience paying for it it's all good? I'm also doubting at this point if I'll be using it commercially.

Then by all means get in touch with a lawyer, and have them direct you to someone who deals with software and / or design related cases.