Might be more interesting to break it down even farther. Perhaps separating professionals from students.

I hate misuse of the term ’pirate’. But, eh...whadamIgonnado?

Harrr... But perhaps you could elabourate on how the term is misused.

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Nice!

>But, eh...whadamIgonnado

that should be “whad-arghhhh-mIgonnado”

I wonder if there are font terrorists…

I wonder if there are font terrorists…

Other than, or in addition to, Arial users?

I hate misuse of the term ’pirate’. But, eh...whadamIgonnado?

You could define the term.

I think for the most part, when related to fonts as this discussion is specifically, it is applied as a verb to the act of sharing or otherwise giving or obtaining without a license when a license is required to do so. As a noun, one who shares or otherwise gives or obtains without a license when a license is required to do so.

What would the proper definition be?, and please don’t mention eye patches, parrots, the letter R pronounced arrrrrrrr or any other of ye scalawag terminology.

“deduce,” not “deduct,” I think.

“You could define the term.”

Pirate: One use abuses copyright for financial gain...typically reselling digital/analog copies or counterfeits.

But the term has been stretched immensely and is now used by the media and industy to refer to anyone that’s ever listened to a song in an elevator or read a book in a libary without feeling immensely immoral.

So, for fonts: A mom finding some unlicensed fonts and printing 10 birthday party invites on her ink-jet for her son and a Russian site releasing copies of the Adobe Type Library with different names are not one in the same, and, as such, should not both have the term ’pirate’ applied to them. I’d call the latter a pirate, the former a copyright infringer.

Ironically, in the US, it’s ’illegal’ for me to copy an Adobe font from a friend and use it, but perfectly legal for me to print it out, rescan it back in and sell is as my own font for profit.

The mom may not know any better, but most if not all computers come with fonts that you can use, no strings attached. Curlz would probably be perfect for her son’s birthday invites.

That said, of course there are degrees. When actual financial gain is involved (as compared to lack of loss) it’s worse.

to clarify, I’m certainly not saying ’the mom’ is in the right. Just that there’s many degrees of copyright infringement. The line between ’fair use’ and out-and-out piracy is getting more and more blurred as well. Mom scanning a funny picture from a magazine for her kids is a far cry from me selling copied CDs of Veer Stock Photos for $10 each.

So with the poll ending in a few days, there are no big surprises. Most people seem to be honorable and good with a few less than admirable typophile denizens who admit to doing commercial work with stolen fonts. Not an extremely scientific poll and not a great represention of the design public since this was only posted on typophile, but an interesting snapshot.

> Ironically, in the US, it’s ’illegal’ for me to copy an Adobe font from a friend and use it, but perfectly legal for me to print it out, rescan it back in and sell is as my own font for profit.

I’m no expert, but I think there is a bit more involved in creating a usable font than printing one out and scanning it back in.

“I’m no expert, but I think there is a bit more involved in creating a usable font than printing one out and scanning it back in.”

Sure, but that wasn’t really the point. ;o)

Maybe the poll should also ask if we follow the “Russian” sites and then the destroy links.

Maybe the poll should also ask if we follow the “Russian” sites and then the destroy links.

I’m not sure how that fits into poll just run, but feel free to create your own poll. I would think most foundries who have any say over their own fonts being given away would “destroy links” if possible.

I am sorry if i misinterpretted the previous post. Without reading sarcasm into it now, it would in fact be a level or two beyond just not pirating fonts, but looking out for others’ work to minimize piracy (intentional IP theft), A noble effort indeed. In the season of giving and recieving, the less that is given and recieved that infringes on others is the best gift of all for those who try to make their living by doing quality type design. Merry Christmas- Happy Holidays- Счастливое Рождество