🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <Mar.29.00.36.43.1989.4633@elbereth.rutgers.edu> bschwart@elbereth.rutgers.edu (Barry Schwartz) writes:
>> The actual shape of the character cannot be protected by copyright.  This allows
>> you, if you wish, to digitize the printed version of the letter and create your
>> own bit mapped or PostScript font.  Then, you can copyright the bit map or
>> PS program that you created.  
>
>
>Suppose someone writes a program that converts one bitmap format
>to another, then runs a protected font through it.  Furthermore
>suppose (to muddy things up a little more) that the conversion
>involves some kind of frequency conversion scheme; that is, the
>pixels in the output do not correspond one-to-one with the pixels
>in the input.  Perhaps after automatic conversion the font will
>need hand editing, perhaps not.
>
>Aside from ethical issues, what are the legal issues?  You say
>I can digitize the printed version, but can I do what I have
>hypothesized above?
>

The way I understand things, what you are describing is a violation of copyright
if the bitmap is protected by copyright.  Copying the bitmap is not the same
as creating a new bitmap for a font from the shape of the letter.  

This is the same as the story that the map is not the territory:  you cannot copyright
where one street is in relation to another, but you can copyright the map 
describing the relationship.  When someone copies the map, even if there is some
format conversion (e.g., color to black & white, or reduction) that is copyright
violation.  It is not the same as creating a new map.