3 ms·

What does this mean about fonts like Helvetica? Are they typically protected by design patents? If not, could someone take a bitmap screenshot of Helvetica, pro

• almost 15y ago
  You can trace the outlines and produce an exact or almost exact copy, and that's what Ariel actually is.
  • Drbble 15y ago
    How is tracing a published work not considered copying?
    • almost 15y ago
      I'm not a lawyer so I couldn't say. But apparently that's how it works when it comes to fonts.
    • ars 15y ago
      Because it's letters of the alphabet, and you can't copyright them or their shape. The small modification you make to the shape are not considered enough to give you copyright.
• ars 15y ago
  If it was protected by a design patent, it's expired by now (they last 14 years). > could someone take a bitmap screenshot of Helvetica, product a font from it, and distribute that font? Yes, and not only can they, people in fact do it. That's basically what Arial is, and there are open source versions as well.