[tex-live] re: Computer Modern

Barbara Beeton bnb@ams.org
Fri, 13 Jul 2001 13:37:15 -0400 (EDT)


Dear Pedro Freitas,
The Computer Modern font design by Donald Knuth *is* freely usable,
as are the files of instructions that create CM fonts using Metafont.

The CM source files carry the following comment:

% THIS IS THE OFFICIAL COMPUTER MODERN SOURCE FILE ***.mf BY D E KNUTH.
% IT MUST NOT BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY UNLESS THE FILE NAME IS CHANGED!

Thus, if the file (or font) name is changed, there are no restrictions.
					-- barbara beeton
					   (Knuth's "TeX entomologist",
					    i.e. bug collector)

---------- Original message ----------
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 16:14:53 -0700
From: Pedro Freitas <pfreitas@mediabolic.com>
To: "'office@tug.org'" <office@tug.org>
Subject: Computer Modern

Hello,I seek information regarding the legal status of the Computer Modern
font design by Mr. Donald Knuth..
I am developing a for-profit server software running on Linux which needs a
font to generate it's user interface on a TV dislplay.y.I am in the
process of buying a font called Nova made by a Canadian fonthouse
which was made after the Computer Modern design..The fonthouse assures me
Computer Modern is a public domain font and their
copy of it is a legal exercise of such status.s.Could you confirm of deny
this claim?m?In other words, is it legal to buy/own/distribute a variation
of Computer Modern with a different name??I would appreciate any help or
redirection.n.Thank you
Pedro Freitas