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Hand of Sean Font -- No FREE Commercial Use

by zapseo
11 replies
I think this happy, spritely font used to come packaged with Optimize Press -- I am not sure.

But if you research it, you will see that they now want 11 pounds for EACH commerical use of their font.

A lot of folks are still using this.

I don't know if they have their font copyrighted -- but if so, if they decide to aggressively go after folks using this commercially, you could be wishing that you paid the 11 pounds.

I've been meaning to mention this -- I have informed at least one WSO seller of this, who was also (at the time, until I informed them) providing the font to their buyers for them to use. (According to those involved with the WSO, they removed it after I informed them of the problem.)

I'm not trying to be the bringer of bad news here -- but to raise everyone's consciousness here so they don't get hurt.

Live JoyFully!

Judy
#commercial #font #free #hand #sean
  • Profile picture of the author HostWind
    Shucks! Sounds like the creator caught on to something popular. Perhaps it is worth it?
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Oksa
    Hi Judy,

    It's a good reminder that fonts can be copyrighted. For whatever reason, a lot of people are completely unaware of this.

    I believe there was a documentary made about this issue, it may have been called "Helvetica", but my memory may be fuzzy.

    All the best,
    Michael
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
      Originally Posted by Michael Oksa View Post

      It's a good reminder that fonts can be copyrighted. For whatever reason, a lot of people are completely unaware of this.
      That's because it's a very confusing issue. Typefaces, at least in the U.S. and some other countries, cannot be protected by copyright. However, the computer file that makes up a font may be protected by copyright or design patents. Also, a font name may be protected by trademark.

      (Also, I am not a lawyer.)
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
    Originally Posted by zapseo View Post

    But if you research it, you will see that they now want 11 pounds for EACH commerical use of their font.
    Can you clarify what you mean by that? I only see that you need to pay additional if you are embedding the font in your website or in an application.

    As far as redistribution of their font goes, that's probably a no-no all together.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    Judy,

    So as long as Optimize Press has purchased the commercial license for that font, they are fine. They have not done anything wrong. It does NOT mean each person who buys Optimize Press then needs to buy a commercial license because they are NOT using the font commercially. Optimize Press users or people who buy my products with this font inside it are not using the font for commercial purposes, they are only using it for their own personal use -- which is totally fine and free to do.

    The way I understand it is so long as YOU have bought the commercial license for the 'Hand of Sean' font, you are then free to use that font in products you sell.

    I purchased the commercial license a year or two ago and I remember asking them this at the time. I am almost 99% sure they told me so long as I myself have the commercial license, I am then free to use it in products I sell to others.

    If someone purchased Optimize Press, grabbed the 'Hand of Sean' font from the source files and then added it to a product they are selling, that WOULD be in breach of the license because they are now using that font commercially.
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  • Profile picture of the author icoachu
    Have they started suing people for infringment? How much would they collect from infringers?
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    • Profile picture of the author zapseo
      Originally Posted by icoachu View Post

      Have they started suing people for infringment? How much would they collect from infringers?
      LOTS. More than you want to pay.
      It would be cheaper to probably hire someone to design a font for you.

      I was dashing off to the End of the World event, so didn't follow up on this post.

      I wanted to make it before I forgot, yet again.

      Here's the website (NOT the webpage) that describes the licensing ...

      Buy Hand of Sean font commercial license by Nice and Ripe Ltd

      I am not a lawyer, either.

      I just met someone who got hit by a Getty Images copyright infringement for an image she hadn't intended to use and had put up temporarily.

      I am not thrilled about some of the copyright stuff that goes down.

      Just want to keep people aware.

      Will -- thanks for the information.

      Live JoyFully!

      Judy
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  • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
    I haven't heard of any lawsuits. It does not appear this is copyrighted in the US. In the UK I believe infringement damages are very limited - mainly no statutory damages if there is no registration and it is doubtful someone will sue for 11 pounds. Then there are problems that older licenses of the font were to a different person, only $15 per computer, and the url for payment was not operable. There are likely varying licenses over the years so you would need to check your download file.

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  • Profile picture of the author CyborgX
    Never heard of any copyright issue about fonts. Is it for real?
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  • Profile picture of the author Thomas Michal
    Well here it is for free Hand of Sean Font | dafont.com and it also seems like they're about 2,665,169 downloads too late...
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