• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

illegal use of font

The Vector Doctor

Chief Bezier Manipulator
Yes but how do you know when a font can or cannot be used for this purpose? This same font can be downloaded from any number of sites but there is no mention of the copyright or permitted usage at many of those sites

It is not like a watermarked image or a font for purchase. It is listed or offered for free at probably 100s of sites without these terms and conditions

It says this "(Free for personal use only. Read conditions of use and buy font licenses on www.wmkart.com)" at Dafont.com but probably not everywhere.
 

Pat Whatley

New Member
Yes but how do you know when a font can or cannot be used for this purpose?.

Isn't that the same as asking when a picture you found on Google Images can or cannot be used because you found it on a bunch of sites and there's no copyright info on the picture from one of them?
 

royster13

New Member
I have seen various spins on this subject.....One such spin is that only the font file is protected by copyright and as soon as it is used in a creation and converted to outlines the copyright does not follow....Not sure if this has been tested in court though...
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
I have this one on our computer. It's called 'You Rock'
PLANE.jpg
 

The Vector Doctor

Chief Bezier Manipulator
Isn't that the same as asking when a picture you found on Google Images can or cannot be used because you found it on a bunch of sites and there's no copyright info on the picture from one of them?


Yes but I would be willing to bet everyone on here that have thousands or tens of thousands of fonts on their computer and use those free fonts on signs and have not paid for the license to use them

The whole idea of free fonts is quite confusing and most don't know that they cannot be used this way. They really aren't free if you are running a business making signs and then use those fonts.
 

signage

New Member
Yes but I would be willing to bet everyone on here that have thousands or tens of thousands of fonts on their computer and use those free fonts on signs and have not paid for the license to use them

The whole idea of free fonts is quite confusing and most don't know that they cannot be used this way. They really aren't free if you are running a business making signs and then use those fonts.

That is true of a lot of things used in any business!
 

visual800

Active Member
If I cruise a site looking for a font like on dafont and I download it, yes Im gonna use it. im not ome to read fine print. If you want me to know something dont hide it spit it out. Like if you go to sign fonts there is no doubt you gotta pay!
 

Pat Whatley

New Member
If I cruise a site looking for a font like on dafont and I download it, yes Im gonna use it. im not ome to read fine print. If you want me to know something dont hide it spit it out. Like if you go to sign fonts there is no doubt you gotta pay!

They don't hide it. Right above the DOWNLOAD buttons on dafont.com if will either say FREE or just FREE FOR PERSONAL USE. Then when you download it and unzip the file there's a "read me" file in there that nobody ever reads. That's where the rest of the commercial use info is.

I can't find the article but i remember reading that the guy who made the Bleeding Cowboys font has sued several major companies over its use, NBC was sued by FontBureau for $10 million, Rick Santorums campaign paid out $2 million for using unlicensed fonts. Sure, Bob down and Sign Pimps using an unlicensed font on a real estate sign won't be noticed but when you start dealing with national campaigns people start paying attention.
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
If I cruise a site looking for a font like on dafont and I download it, yes Im gonna use it. im not ome to read fine print. If you want me to know something dont hide it spit it out. Like if you go to sign fonts there is no doubt you gotta pay!

As Pat mentioned, I fail to see how that is hidden in the fine print?

I might also add, that people not reading the fine print is how a lot of people get into trouble with the contracts that the sign or agree to by using the product. Regardless if you read it or not, if you violate it, you can get into trouble if you are caught.
 

Attachments

  • Dafont.jpg
    Dafont.jpg
    51.3 KB · Views: 79
  • Dafont 2.PNG
    Dafont 2.PNG
    34.3 KB · Views: 83

visual800

Active Member
They don't hide it. Right above the DOWNLOAD buttons on dafont.com if will either say FREE or just FREE FOR PERSONAL USE


define personal and as far a readme file no I do not read those they are deleted. Is there not 1 sign guy on this site that has nottaken a free font?


or how about a company sending over a logo in a jpeg and you have to match and recreate. You look for the font and MYFONT wants $40 and dafont is free download, i guess alot of you would pay for the font wouldnt you?
 
Top