contributing new font package for xorg

[Qianqian Fang]

the reply from Dave Turner from FSF is attached.

I am looking forward to SFLC's response. The best that I can expect
is an exception given the bitmap format and "potentially useful" of our 
font. 

I know every development team have its own preferences and policies,
hope my proposal did not create much distractions to you guys. At least,
I think to coordinate the languages/type-faces/screen visualities is 
something worth thinking of. Maybe a separate project for managing  
open-source font development is necessary.

Qianqian


======================================

From: Dave Turner via RT
To:   fangq at nmr.mgh.harvard.edu
Subject: [gnu.org #249217] submit GPL font to xorg
Date: 2005-08-11


> [fangq at nmr.mgh.harvard.edu - Wed Aug 10 23:35:34 2005]:
> 
> Dear Dave
> 
> here I have another question about font licensing. my team had 
> developed a bitmap CJK font, this font included some previous GPLed 
> works, and this font is also licensed under GPL.
> 
> now I am recommending this font to xorg development team, I heard
> some concerns such as to include a GPLed font into xorg distribution 
> will make the package invalid since xorg uses am "MIT" license.
> 
> I found that, firstly, MIT license is compatible with GPL, I don't 
> know if this claim by itself will make the font inclusion legal.

Legal, yes.  In compliance with xorg's policies, no (I just asked at
their booth at LinuxWorld).  They're sensible not to accept GPL fonts,
because of the unintended consequences for font embedders.  Can you
convince the original licensors of the font to relicense?  You might
want to talk with xorg about font licensing, to see what they're willing
to accept, first.  I'm glad to help if they have questions (or they can
ask their lawyer).

> secondly, I want to know your opinion toward the nature of this
> inclusion: it this a situation of "mere collection" or "a derived 
> work"?

The inclusion of the font with X is mere aggregation.  But the problem
for GPL fonts is when they're embedded in documents (potentially
creating a derivative work).

-- 
-Dave "Novalis" Turner
GPL Compliance Engineer
Free Software Foundation