can I use this adobe font?

Forum|Forum|11 years ago
September 1, 2014
2 replies
935 views

My Mac has Adobe Garamond Pro installed on it as part of the OS, I assume. So I purchased that. But can I use it for business purposes? Like on flyers or on my website?

I am aware some of the EULA's were changed recently and perhaps that may affect things... I got my Mac in 2010 with the font installed and upgraded to Mavericks this year (2014) and the font is still installed.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Dov Isaacs

There is a big difference. The issue is not “profiting from use of the font” but rather, effective redistribution of the font. For printed or even PDF or PostScript use of the font this isn't an issue. Although the font is embedded in such files, the “full font” including all metrics is not in those files. On the other hand, unless you are doing a raster display on a web page using such fonts (which is not a problem in terms of the licensing), the font has to be downloaded as part of the stream of data to the web browser. That is what is not permitted with a normal license. Adobe does have provision for web use of some of its fonts via TypeKit, part of the Creative Cloud offering.

- Dov

Dov Isaacs

Legend

Adobe Garamond Pro certainly is not installed as part of any operating system installation. Parts of that typeface family may have been installed as part of installation of Adobe applications, though.

Assuming that those fonts were legally installed either bundled with Adobe applications or licensed separately, there is no restriction in using the fonts in your published materials with the exception of using the fonts themselves as part of a product (such as part of an executable game) or as live type on a web page without additional licensing.

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)

fontlauraAuthor

Participating Frequently

Thanks Dov! That didn't occur to me for some reason. Of course it was because of the Creative Suite products I downloaded prior to the whole cloud-based thing. These were definitely legally installed with the Adobe software I purchased.

So my only remaining question really is what's the difference between me using them on a published material (like a magazine or a flyer) to promote my business and me using them on a web page (like as the default font on my website) to promote my business? I see these both as being associated with profiting from the use of the font. So I would think either both are allowed or both aren't allowed. Am I incorrect in this assumption?

Dov IsaacsCorrect answer

Legend

There is a big difference. The issue is not “profiting from use of the font” but rather, effective redistribution of the font. For printed or even PDF or PostScript use of the font this isn't an issue. Although the font is embedded in such files, the “full font” including all metrics is not in those files. On the other hand, unless you are doing a raster display on a web page using such fonts (which is not a problem in terms of the licensing), the font has to be downloaded as part of the stream of data to the web browser. That is what is not permitted with a normal license. Adobe does have provision for web use of some of its fonts via TypeKit, part of the Creative Cloud offering.

- Dov

- Dov Isaacs, former Adobe Principal Scientist (April 30, 1990 - May 30, 2021)