Re: Aqua icons from system fonts
Re: Aqua icons from system fonts
- Subject: Re: Aqua icons from system fonts
- From: Andrew Merenbach <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 10:24:03 -0800
As part of the Webdings font, I also found it interesting that
UnicodeChecker allowed for two other font variations--Wingdings and
MonoType Sorts, and sometimes others. (Although I had a heck of a time
getting any of the symbols into Photoshop CS--some Unicode support may
be there, but even setting the font to Webdings (for which it showed
Regular mode), it displayed a completely different symbol. I had to
make an alpha-channel TIFF from the character and then manipulate
*that* in PS to get it to work.
With regard to the legality issue, I searched the MS web site and found
the following:
<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/moviemaker/learnmore/tips/
usewebdings.mspx>
They ordain the use of Webdings and such fonts in Windows Movie Maker
movies, and says nothing about copyright infringement if those movies
are distributed. (I also don't see how what OS platform it is would
affect things.)
On the other hand, they do say on one of their copyright pages that
certain MS fonts, including Webdings, are not available for
redistribution.
My logic, though, would be--and correct me if I'm wrong--that it would
be perfectly legal for me to display the characters _as text_ in my
toolbar by referencing the font. It's a small step to draw the font at
runtime into an NSImage and then stylise it slightly, *then* on-the-fly
insert it into the toolbar. And from there it's a short step to
enhancing the glyph in an image editor and bundling it with the
program, since it's only a couple of characters, rather than a usable
representation of the entire font.
But if it's the bundling that's the copyright issue, this means, then,
that I can indeed generate the glyph as an image on-the-fly (at
runtime) and insert it (after applying whatever code-based
transformations and enhancements I desire) into my toolbar, since it
would be identical in effect to using the text in the toolbar itself?
(And if I am wrong, that very last one--using the text characters
themselves--is still unquestionably _legal_, isn't it?)
If it comes down to it, I may have to consult a lawyer, but it seems
that a quick study of the issues of precedent and fair use could
supersede a need for the time, effort, or money involved.
Cheers,
Andrew
On 10 Dec 2004, at 07:10, glenn andreas wrote:
On Dec 10, 2004, at 12:55 AM, Andrew Merenbach wrote:
Whilst looking for free toolbar icons for my program, I stumbled in
UnicodeChecker upon one of Apple's <private use> areas that has
hundreds of symbols that would (with some aquification or other
enhancements) be perfect for toolbars. A paper tray with an up arrow
and one with a down arrow would be an excellent choice, in my first
impression, for import and export features.
I've read through previous postings, but haven't found much about
using such symbols in our icons. Is there any reason not to,
provided that we can stylise them to appear a nice part of the
interface?
Cheers,
Andrew Merenbach
P.S.: For those who wish to examine the symbols, I used
UnicodeChecker (www.earthlingsoft.net) and have been examining the
range that includes Decimal 61650 and 61651 (hex F0D2 and F0D3), for
the trays. The rest of the symbols appear fairly contiguous about
that region.
If you look with the Character palette, you'll discover that those are
just glyphs found in the WebDings font (and not some super secret
hidden magic pictures). As such, it would be no different than taking
glyphs from any other font, enhancing them, and using them in a
toolbar. Now, is this a "derived work" or "fair use" (especially if
you just use one or two)? Looking at the font
(/Library/Fonts/Webdings) reveals:
"Copyright: Copyright (c) 1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights
reserved."
So if you really want to be safe, you'll need to determine (and
probably with a laywer) if using a modified version of the these
glyphs is a derived work or fair use, and if it is the former, you'll
need to contact Microsoft for permission.
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