Re: [PATCH RFC 1/4] LICENSES: Add SIL Open Font License 1.1

From: Bagas Sanjaya <bagasdotme@gmail.com>
To: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>
Cc: Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>,
	Linux Documentation <linux-doc@vger.kernel.org>,
	Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>,
	Thomas Gleixner <tglx@linutronix.de>,
	Akira Yokosawa <akiyks@gmail.com>,
	Stanislav Fomichev <sdf@google.com>,
	David Vernet <void@manifault.com>,
	Miguel Ojeda <ojeda@kernel.org>, James Seo <james@equiv.tech>,
	Daniel Vetter <daniel.vetter@ffwll.ch>,
	Federico Vaga <federico.vaga@vaga.pv.it>,
	Carlos Bilbao <carlos.bilbao@amd.com>,
	linux-spdx@vger.kernel.org, Richard Fontana <rfontana@redhat.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH RFC 1/4] LICENSES: Add SIL Open Font License 1.1
Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2023 06:40:18 +0700	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <ZUgn4r182L57jRgs@debian.me> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <2023110450-overview-charbroil-5101@gregkh>

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On Sat, Nov 04, 2023 at 10:52:06AM +0100, Greg Kroah-Hartman wrote:
> On Sat, Nov 04, 2023 at 07:53:07AM +0700, Bagas Sanjaya wrote:
> > On Fri, Nov 03, 2023 at 09:49:54AM +0100, Greg Kroah-Hartman wrote:
> > > On Fri, Nov 03, 2023 at 03:11:36PM +0700, Bagas Sanjaya wrote:
> > > > On Thu, Nov 02, 2023 at 03:06:19PM +0100, Greg Kroah-Hartman wrote:
> > > > > On Thu, Nov 02, 2023 at 07:00:43PM +0700, Bagas Sanjaya wrote:
> > > > > >  LICENSES/dual/OFL-1.1 | 107 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> > > > > 
> > > > > You add this license, but then never actually reference it in the later
> > > > > changes, so it's going to be very confusing as to why it is here.  Any
> > > > > way to add it to the font files themselves so our checker tools can
> > > > > handle this properly?
> > > > 
> > > > There is TTF name string ID called "License". For example, on IBM Plex Sans,
> > > > the string value is:
> > > > 
> > > > ```
> > > > This Font Software is licensed under the SIL Open Font License, Version 1.1. This license is available with a FAQ at: http://scripts.sil.org/OFL
> > > > ```
> > > > 
> > > > Checking that string requires scripting fontforge, and since the string value
> > > > may differ (but has the same license) across different fonts, scripting it
> > > > can be non-trivial.
> > > 
> > > And is that in the files you added?  They are binary so it's hard to
> > > determine this :(
> > 
> > Yes.
> > 
> > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > And, it's not going to work as a dual-license, you can't just suddenly
> > > > > dual-license those font files, right?
> > > > 
> > > > I was thinking of putting OFL in LICENSES/exceptions instead due to this
> > > > nature.
> > > 
> > > Yes, it can not be a dual one.
> > 
> > That's right!
> > 
> > What about just saying below in the CSS file that includes the fonts?
> > 
> > ```
> > ...
> > /* Some cool fonts are licensed under OFL 1.1, see
> >  * LICENSES/exceptions/OFL-1.1 for more information. */
> > ...
> > ```
> 
> That's not in SPDX format :)

Yes, without it (CSS files of course should already have SPDX line); but I
highlight importing webfonts above, where due to binary nature of font files,
we have to resort to simple license notice above (pre-SPDX) whenever about
to use them.

> 
> Anyway, I think the meta-comment so far is "do we want to include fonts
> in the kernel source", right?  For that, I would argue "no, let's not
> deal with that mess for now".
> 

So far I'm only concerned about including OFL fonts. In the cover letter,
I also considered non-free, paid fonts (like Söhne), which IMO looks better
than IBM Plex. Of course, if someone submits a version of this series but
with Söhne instead (hey because many other sites do use that font), Greg will
instantly reject it, right?

Thanks.

-- 
An old man doll... just what I always wanted! - Clara

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