Anti-piracy initiative

What about fonts?

Fonts are software, too. In fact, each font is a short software program. Fonts are protected under intellectual property law and are subject to the same legal usage restrictions as other software.

It is illegal to do the following:

Share or copy fonts beyond what the license agreement allows
Include a font copy with source files for output

We'd like to make it easy for you to understand how to manage your typeface software. We hope that the following information clarifies the right way to use fonts and provides other useful information.

Adobe typeface software licenses
Type formats
Font download
Working with service bureaus
Embedding typefaces

Adobe typeface software licenses

Adobe licenses typeface software by computer, in the same way that most application software is licensed. When you purchase a typeface license from Adobe, you are entitled to use the typeface on one computer for viewing, editing, and printing.

Working with service bureaus

Service bureaus are under the same licensing agreements as individuals and must own a license for viewing, editing, and printing any Adobe typeface.

Type formats

Type 1, sometimes called the "PostScript" font format, is the oldest worldwide standard for digital font software, and remains widely used, especially by graphics and print professionals. It was first introduced by Adobe Systems, a leader in the design and manufacture of Type 1 software, around 1985.

The TrueType format was introduced around 1991 by Apple Computer and Microsoft Corporation for use in their operating systems. It is also widely used, especially by business and home users.

The OpenType format was developed by Microsoft Corporation and Adobe Systems in the late 1990s, and later supported by Apple Computer. The intent was to eventually replace Type 1 and TrueType by combining the strengths of both formats with additional capabilities for advanced typography and multi-lingual support, while also offering platform-independent font files. See http://www.adobe.com/type/opentype/ for more information.

Embedding typefaces

You embed typefaces in two ways:

Printing to an Adobe® PostScript® language file
Embedding typefaces into Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files

You may edit a document with embedded typefaces only if those typefaces are licensed and installed on the computer where you are doing the editing.

"Font download" refers to the practice of sending the Type 1 software from the user's computer to the PostScript language printer for storage in printer RAM on a printer's hard disk or other medium.

Font download

You may download Adobe fonts to only two printers for each typeface license. This restriction does not apply to the automatic downloading of typefaces, which happens during ordinary print jobs. During normal printing, the fonts do not remain in printer memory after the print job is completed.

The benefit of a font download is that printing performance is enhanced.

For more information on fonts, check out the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) Web site. Its Use of Fonts (PDF: 60k) guide is part of the AIGA business and ethics series, a range of publications dealing with ethical standards and practices for designers and their clients.