OFL FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about the SIL Open Font License (OFL)
Version 1.1-update2 - 23 August 2010
(See http://scripts.sil.org/OFL for updates)


CONTENTS OF THIS FAQ
1  USING AND DISTRIBUTING FONTS LICENSED UNDER THE OFL
2  USING OFL FONTS FOR WEB PAGES AND ONLINE WEBFONT SERVICES
3  MODIFYING OFL-LICENSED FONTS
4  LICENSING YOUR ORIGINAL FONTS UNDER THE OFL
5  CHOOSING RESERVED FONT NAMES
6  ABOUT THE FONTLOG
7  MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO OFL PROJECTS
8  ABOUT THE LICENSE ITSELF
9  ABOUT SIL INTERNATIONAL
APPENDIX A - FONTLOG EXAMPLE


1  USING AND DISTRIBUTING FONTS LICENSED UNDER THE OFL

1.1  Can I use the fonts for a book or other print publication?
Yes. You can mention the font and author in the book's colophon if you wish, 
but that is not required.

1.2  Can the fonts be included with Free/Libre and Open Source Software 
collections such as GNU/Linux and BSD distributions?
Yes! Fonts licensed under the OFL can be freely included alongside other 
software under FLOSS (Free/Libre and Open Source Software) licenses. Since 
fonts are typically aggregated with, not merged into, existing software, there 
is little need to be concerned about incompatibility with existing software 
licenses. You may also repackage the fonts and the accompanying components in a 
.rpm or .deb package and include them in distribution CD/DVDs and online 
repositories. (Also see section 5.9 about rebuilding from source.)

1.3  I want to distribute the fonts with my program. Does this mean my program 
also has to be Free/Libre and Open Source Software?
No. Only the portions based on the Font Software are required to be released 
under the OFL. The intent of the license is to allow aggregation or bundling 
with software under restricted licensing as well.

1.4  Can I sell a software package that includes these fonts?
Yes, you can do this with both the Original Version and a Modified Version of 
the fonts. Examples of bundling made possible by the OFL would include: word 
processors, design and publishing applications, training and educational 
software, games and entertainment software, mobile device applications, etc.

1.5  Can I include the fonts on a CD of freeware or commercial fonts?
Yes, as long some other font or software is also on the disk, so the OFL font 
is not sold by itself.

1.6  Why won't the OFL let me sell the fonts alone?
The intent is to keep people from making money by simply redistributing the 
fonts. The only people who ought to profit directly from the fonts should be 
the original authors, and those authors have kindly given up potential direct 
income to distribute their fonts under the OFL. Please honour and respect their 
contribution!

1.7  What about sharing OFL fonts with friends on a CD, DVD or USB stick?
You are very welcome to share open fonts with friends, family and colleagues 
through removable media. Just remember to include the full font package, 
including any copyright notices and licensing information as available in 
OFL.txt. In the case where you sell the font, it has to come bundled with 
software.

1.8  Can I host the fonts on a web site for others to use?
Yes, as long as you make the full font package available. In most cases it may 
be best to point users to the main site that distributes the Original Version 
so they always get the most recent stable and complete version. See also 
discussion of webfonts in Section 2.

1.9  Can I host the fonts on a server for use over our internal network?
Yes. If the fonts are transferred from the server to the client computer by 
means that allow them to be used even if the computer is no longer attached to 
the network, the full package (copyright notices, licensing information, etc.) 
should be included.

1.10  Does the full OFL license text always need to accompany the font?
The only situation in which an OFL font can be distributed without the text of 
the OFL (either in a separate file or in font metadata), is when a font is 
embedded in a document or bundled within a program. In the case of metadata 
included within a font, it is legally sufficient to include only a link to the 
text of the OFL on http://scripts.sil.org/OFL, but we strongly recommend 
against this. Most modern font formats include metadata fields that will accept 
the full OFL text, and full inclusion increases the likelihood that users will 
understand and properly apply the license.

1.11  What do you mean by 'embedding'? How does that differ from other means of 
distribution?
By 'embedding' we mean inclusion of the font in a document or file in a way 
that makes extraction (and redistribution) difficult or clearly discouraged. In 
many cases the names of embedded fonts might also not be obvious to those 
reading the document, the font data format might be altered, and only a subset 
of the font - only the glyphs required for the text - might be included. Any 
other means of delivering a font to another person is considered 
'distribution', and needs to be accompanied by any copyright notices and 
licensing information available in OFL.txt.

1.12  So can I embed OFL fonts in my document?
Yes, either in full or a subset. The restrictions regarding font modification 
and redistribution do not apply, as the font is not intended for use outside 
the document.

1.13  Does embedding alter the license of the document itself?
No. Referencing or embedding an OFL font in any document does not change the 
license of the document itself. The requirement for fonts to remain under the 
OFL does not apply to any document created using the fonts and their 
derivatives. Similarly, creating any kind of graphic using a font under OFL 
does not make the resulting artwork subject to the OFL.

1.14  If OFL fonts are extracted from a document in which they are embedded 
(such as a PDF file), what can be done with them? Is this a risk to author(s)?
The few utilities that can extract fonts embedded in a PDF will typically 
output limited amounts of outlines - not a complete font. To create a working 
font from this method is much more difficult and time consuming than finding 
the source of the original OFL font. So there is little chance that an OFL font 
would be extracted and redistributed inappropriately through this method. Even 
so, copyright laws address any misrepresentation of authorship. All Font 
Software released under the OFL and marked as such by the author(s) is intended 
to remain under this license regardless of the distribution method, and cannot 
be redistributed under any other license. We strongly discourage any font 
extraction - we recommend directly using the font sources instead - but if you 
extract font outlines from a document, please be considerate: use your common 
sense and respect the work of the author(s) and the licensing model.

1.15  What about distributing fonts with a document? Within a compressed folder 
structure? Is it distribution, bundling or embedding?
Certain document formats may allow the inclusion of an unmodified font within 
their file structure which consists of a compressed folder containing the 
various resources forming the document (such as pictures and thumbnails). 
Including fonts within such a structure is understood as being different from 
embedding but rather similar to bundling (or mere aggregation) which the 
license explicitly allows. In this case the font is conveyed unchanged whereas 
embedding a font usually transforms it from the original format. The OFL does 
not allow anyone to extract the font from such a structure to then redistribute 
it under another license. The explicit permission to redistribute and embed 
does not cancel the requirement for the Font Software to remain under the 
license chosen by its author(s).

1.16  What about ebooks shipping with open fonts?
The requirements differ depending on whether the fonts are linked, embedded or 
distributed (bundled or aggregated). Some ebook formats use web technologies to 
do font linking via @font-face, others are designed for font embedding, some 
use fonts distributed with the document or reading software, and a few rely 
solely on the fonts already present on the target system. The license 
requirements depend on the type of inclusion as discussed in 1.15.

1.17  Can Font Software released under the OFL be subject to URL-based access 
restrictions methods or DRM (Digital Rights Management) mechanisms?
Yes, but these issues are out-of-scope for the OFL. The license itself neither 
encourages their use nor prohibits them since such mechanisms are not 
implemented in the components of the Font Software but through external 
software. Such restrictions are put in place for many different purposes 
corresponding to various usage scenarios. One common example is to limit 
potentially dangerous cross-site scripting attacks. However, in the spirit of 
libre/open fonts and unrestricted writing systems, we strongly encourage open 
sharing and reuse of OFL fonts, and the establishment of an environment where 
such restrictions are unnecessary. Note that whether you wish to use such 
mechanisms or you prefer not to, you must still abide by the rules set forth by 
the OFL when using fonts released by their authors under this license. 
Derivative fonts must be licensed under the OFL, even if they are part of a 
service for which you charge fees and/or for which access to source code is 
restricted. You may not sell the fonts on their own - they must be part of a 
larger software package, bundle or subscription plan. For example, even if the 
OFL font is distributed in a software package or via an online service using a 
DRM mechanism, the user would still have the right to extract that font, use, 
study, modify and redistribute it under the OFL.

1.18  I've come across a font released under the OFL. How can I easily get more 
information about the Original Version? How can I know where it stands compared 
to the Original Version or other Modified Versions?
Consult the copyright statement(s) in the license for ways to contact the 
original authors. Consult the FONTLOG for information on how the font differs 
from the Original Version, and get in touch with the various contributors via 
the information in the acknowledgement section. Please consider using the 
Original Versions of the fonts whenever possible.

1.19  What do you mean in condition 4? Can you provide examples of abusive 
promotion / endorsement / advertisement vs. normal acknowledgement?
The intent is that the goodwill and reputation of the author(s) should not be 
used in a way that makes it sound like the original author(s) endorse or 
approve of a specific Modified Version or software bundle. For example, it 
would not be right to advertise a word processor by naming the author(s) in a 
listing of software features, or to promote a Modified Version on a web site by 
saying "designed by ...". However, it would be appropriate to acknowledge the 
author(s) if your software package has a list of people who deserve thanks. We 
realize that this can seem to be a grey area, but the standard used to judge an 
acknowledgement is that if the acknowledgement benefits the author(s) it is 
allowed, but if it primarily benefits other parties, or could reflect poorly on 
the author(s), then it is not.


2  USING OFL FONTS FOR WEBPAGES AND ONLINE WEBFONT SERVICES

2.1  Can I make webpages using these fonts?
Yes! Go ahead! Using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is recommended. Your three 
best options: 
- referring directly in your stylesheet to open fonts which may be available on 
the user's system
- providing links to download the full package of the font - either from your 
own website or from elsewhere - so users can install it themselves
- using @font-face to distribute the font directly to browsers. This is 
recommended and explicitly allowed by the licensing model because it is 
distribution. The font file itself is distributed with other components of the 
webpage. It is not embedded in the webpage but referenced through a web address 
which will cause the browser to retrieve and use the corresponding font to 
render the webpage (see 1.11 and 1.15 for details related to embedding fonts 
into documents). As you take advantage of the @font-face cross-platform 
standard, be aware that webfonts are often tuned for a web environment and not 
intended for installation and use outside a browser. The reasons in favour of 
using webfonts are to allow design of dynamic text elements instead of static 
graphics, to make it easier for content to be localized and translated, indexed 
and searched, and all this with cross-platform open standards without depending 
on restricted extensions or plugins. You should check the CSS cascade (the 
order in which fonts are being called or delivered to your users) when testing.

2.2  Can I make and use WOFF (Web Open Font Format) versions of OFL fonts?
Yes, but you need to be careful. A change in font format normally is considered 
modification, and Reserved Font Names (RFNs) cannot be used. Because of the 
design of the WOFF format, however, it is possible to create a WOFF version 
that is not considered modification, and so would not require a name change. 
You are allowed to create, use and distribute a WOFF version of an OFL font 
without changing the font name, but only if:

- the original font data remains unchanged except for WOFF compression, and
- WOFF-specific metadata is either omitted altogether or present and includes, 
unaltered, the contents of all equivalent metadata in the original font.

If the original font data or metadata is changed, or the WOFF-specific metadata 
is incomplete, the font must be considered a Modified Version, the OFL 
restrictions would apply and the name of the font must be changed: any RFNs 
cannot be used and copyright notices and licensing information must be included 
and cannot be deleted or modified. You must come up with a unique name - we 
recommend one corresponding to your domain or your particular web application. 
Be aware that only the original author(s) can use RFNs. This is to prevent 
collisions between a derivative tuned to your audience and the original 
upstream version and so to reduce confusion.

Please note that most WOFF conversion tools and online services do not meet the 
two requirements listed above, and so their output must be considered a 
Modified Version. So be very careful and check to be sure that the tool or 
service you're using is compressing unchanged data and completely and 
accurately reflecting the original font metadata.

2.3  What about other webfont formats such as EOT/EOTLite/CWT/etc.?
In most cases these formats alter the original font data more than WOFF, and do 
not completely support appropriate metadata, so their use must be considered 
modification and RFNs may not be used.

2.4  Can I make OFL fonts available through webfont online services?
Yes, you are welcome to include OFL fonts in online webfont services as long as 
you properly meet all the conditions of the license. The origin and open status 
of the font should be clear among the other fonts you are hosting. Authorship, 
copyright notices and license information must be sufficiently visible to your 
users or subscribers so they know where the font comes from and the rights 
granted by the author(s). Make sure the font file contains the needed copyright 
notice(s) and licensing information in its metadata. Please double-check the 
accuracy of every field to prevent contradictory information. Other font 
formats, including EOT/EOTLite/CWT and superior alternatives like WOFF, already 
provide fields for this information. Remember that if you modify the font 
within your library or convert it to another format for any reason the OFL 
restrictions apply and you need to change the names accordingly. Please respect 
the author's wishes as expressed in the OFL and do not misrepresent original 
designers and their work. Don't lump quality open fonts together with dubious 
freeware or public domain fonts. Consider how you can best work with the 
original designers and foundries, support their efforts and generate goodwill 
that will benefit your service. (See 1.17 for details related to URL-based 
access restrictions methods or DRM mechanisms).

2.5  Can I make and publish CMS themes or templates that use OFL fonts?  Can I 
include the fonts themselves in the themes or templates? Can I sell the whole 
package?
Yes, you are very welcome to integrate open fonts into themes and templates for 
your preferred CMS and make them more widely available. Be aware that you can 
only sell the fonts and your CMS add-on as part of a software bundle. (See 1.4 
for details and examples about selling bundles). 

2.6  Some webfont formats and services provide ways of "optimising" the font 
for a particular website or web application; is that allowed? 
Yes, it is permitted, but remember that these optimised versions are Modified 
Versions and so must follow OFL requirements like appropriate renaming. Also 
you need to bear in mind the other important parameters beyond compression, 
speed and responsiveness: you need to consider the audience of your particular 
website or web application, as choosing some optimisation parameters may turn 
out to be less than ideal for them. Subsetting by removing certain glyphs or 
features may seriously limit functionality of the font in various languages 
used by your users. It may also introduce degradation of quality in the 
rendering or specific bugs on the various platforms compared to the original 
font. In other words, remember that one person's optimised font may be another 
person's missing feature. Various advanced typographic features are also 
available through CSS and may provide the desired effects without the need to 
modify the font.


3  MODIFYING OFL-LICENSED FONTS

3.1  Can I change the fonts? Are there any limitations to what things I can and 
cannot change?
You are allowed to change anything, as long as such changes do not violate the 
terms of the license. In other words, you are not allowed to remove the 
copyright statement(s) from the font, but you could put additional information 
into it that covers your contribution.

3.2  I have a font that needs a few extra glyphs - can I take them from an OFL 
licensed font and copy them into mine?
Yes, but if you distribute that font to others it must be under the OFL, and 
include the information mentioned in condition 2 of the license.

3.3  Can I charge people for my additional work? In other words, if I add a 
bunch of special glyphs and/or OpenType/Graphite code, can I sell the enhanced 
font?
Not by itself. Derivative fonts must be released under the OFL and cannot be 
sold by themselves. It is permitted, however, to include them in a larger 
software package (such as text editors, office suites or operating systems), 
even if the larger package is sold. In that case, you are strongly encouraged, 
but not required, to also make that derived font easily and freely available 
outside of the larger package.

3.4  Can I pay someone to enhance the fonts for my use and distribution?
Yes. This is a good way to fund the further development of the fonts. Keep in 
mind, however, that if the font is distributed to others it must be under the 
OFL. You won't be able to recover your investment by exclusively selling the 
font, but you will be making a valuable contribution to the community. Please 
remember how you have benefited from the contributions of others.

3.5  I need to make substantial revisions to the font to make it work with my 
program. It will be a lot of work, and a big investment, and I want to be sure 
that it can only be distributed with my program. Can I restrict its use?
No. If you redistribute a Modified Version of the font it must be under the 
OFL. You may not restrict it in any way beyond what the OFL permits and 
requires. This is intended to ensure that all released improvements to the 
fonts become available to everyone. But you will likely get an edge over 
competitors by being the first to distribute a bundle with the enhancements. 
Again, please remember how you have benefited from the contributions of others.

3.6  Do I have to make any derivative fonts (including extended source files, 
build scripts, documentation, etc.) publicly available?
No, but please consider sharing your improvements with others. You may find 
that you receive in return more than what you gave.

3.7  If a trademark is claimed in the OFL font, does that trademark need to 
remain in modified fonts?
Yes, any trademark notices must remain in any derivative fonts to respect 
trademark laws, but you may add any additional trademarks you claim, officially 
registered or not. For example if an OFL font called "Foo" contains a notice 
that "Foo is a trademark of Acme", then if you rename the font to "Bar" when 
creating a Modified Version, the new trademark notice could say "Foo is a 
trademark of Acme Inc. - Bar is a trademark of Roadrunner Technologies Ltd.". 
Trademarks work alongside the OFL and are not subject to the terms of the 
licensing agreement. Please refer to the appropriate trademark laws.


4  LICENSING YOUR ORIGINAL FONTS UNDER THE OFL

4.1  Can I use the SIL OFL for my own fonts?
Yes! We heartily encourage everyone to use the OFL to distribute their own 
original fonts. It is a carefully constructed license that allows great freedom 
along with enough artistic integrity protection for the work of the authors as 
well as clear rules for other contributors and those who redistribute the 
fonts. The licensing model is used successfully by various organisations, both 
for-profit and not-for-profit, to release fonts of varying levels of scope and 
complexity.

4.2  What do I have to do to apply the OFL to my font?
If you want to release your fonts under the OFL, we recommend you do the 
following:

4.2.1  Put your copyright and Reserved Font Names information at the beginning 
of the main OFL.txt file in place of the dedicated placeholders. Include this 
file in your release package.

4.2.2  Put your copyright and the OFL text with Reserved Font Names into your 
font files (the copyright and license fields). A link to the OFL text on the 
OFL web site is an acceptable (but not recommended) alternative. Also add this 
information to any other components (build scripts, glyph databases, 
documentation, test files, etc). Depending on the format of your fonts and 
sources, you can use template human-readable headers or machine-readable 
metadata.

4.2.3  Write an initial FONTLOG.txt for your font and include it in the release 
package.

4.2.4  Include the relevant practical documentation on the license by including 
the OFL-FAQ.txt in your package.

4.3  Will you make my font OFL for me?
We won't do the work for you. We can, however, try to answer your questions, 
unfortunately we do not have the resources to review and check your font 
packages for correct use of the OFL.

4.4  Will you distribute my OFL font for me?
No, although if the font is of sufficient quality and general interest we may 
include a link to it on our partial list of OFL fonts on the OFL web site. You 
may wish to consider other open font catalogs or hosting services, such as the 
Unifont Font Guide (http://unifont.org/fontguide), The League of Movable Type 
(http://theleagueofmovabletype.com), Kernest (http://kernest.com/) or the Open 
Font Library (http://openfontlibrary.org/), which despite the name has no 
direct relationship to the OFL or SIL. We do not endorse any particular catalog 
or hosting service - it is your responsibility to determine if the service is 
right for you.

4.5  Why should I use the OFL for my fonts?
- to meet needs for fonts that can be modified to support minority languages
- to provide a legal and clear way for people to respect your work but still 
use it (and reduce piracy)
- to involve others in your font project
- to enable your fonts to be expanded with new weights and improved writing 
system/language support
- to allow more technical font developers to add features to your design (such 
as OpenType and Graphite support)
- to renew the life of an old font lying on your hard drive with no business 
model
- to allow your font to be included in Libre Software operating systems like 
Ubuntu
- to give your font world status and wide, unrestricted distribution
- to educate students about quality typeface and font design
- to expand your test base and get more useful feedback 
- to extend your reach to new markets when users see your metadata and go to 
your website
- to get your font more easily into one of the webfont online services
- to attract attention for your commercial fonts
- to make money through webfont services
- to make money by bundling fonts with applications
- to make money adjusting and extending existing open fonts
- to get a better chance that foundations/NGOs/charities/companies who 
commission fonts will pick you 
- to be part of a sharing design and development community 
- to give back and contribute to a growing body of font sources


5  CHOOSING RESERVED FONT NAMES

5.1  What are Reserved Font Names?
These are font names, or portions of font names, that the author has chosen to 
reserve for use only with the Original Version of the font, or for Modified 
Version(s) created by the original author.

5.2  Why can't I use the Reserved Font Names in my derivative font names? I'd 
like people to know where the design came from.
The best way to acknowledge the source of the design is to thank the original 
authors and any other contributors in the files that are distributed with your 
revised font (although no acknowledgement is required). The FONTLOG is a 
natural place to do this. Reserved Font Names ensure that the only fonts that 
have the original names are the unmodified Original Versions. This allows 
designers to maintain artistic integrity while allowing collaboration to 
happen. It eliminates potential confusion and name conflicts. When choosing a 
name, be creative and avoid names that reuse almost all the same letters in the 
same order or sound like the original. It will help everyone if Original 
Versions and Modified Versions can easily be distinguished from one another and 
from other derivatives. Any substitution and matching mechanism is outside the 
scope of the license.

5.3  What do you mean by "primary name as presented to the user"? Are you 
referring to the font menu name?
Yes, this applies to the font menu name and other mechanisms that specify a 
font in a document. It would be fine, however, to keep a text reference to the 
original fonts in the description field, in your modified source file or in 
documentation provided alongside your derivative as long as no one could be 
confused that your modified source is the original. But you cannot use the 
Reserved Font Names in any way to identify the font to the user (unless the 
Copyright Holder(s) allow(s) it through a separate agreement). Users who 
install derivatives (Modified Versions) on their systems should not see any of 
the original Reserved Font Names in their font menus, for example. Again, this 
is to ensure that users are not confused and do not mistake one font for 
another and so expect features only another derivative or the Original Version 
can actually offer. 

5.4  Am I not allowed to use any part of the Reserved Font Names?
You may not use individual words from the Reserved Font Names, but you would be 
allowed to use parts of words, as long as you do not use any word from the 
Reserved Font Names entirely. We do not recommend using parts of words because 
of potential confusion, but it is allowed. For example, if "Foobar" was a 
Reserved Font Name, you would be allowed to use "Foo" or "bar", although we 
would not recommend it. Such an unfortunate choice would confuse the users of 
your fonts as well as make it harder for other designers to contribute.

5.5  So what should I, as an author, identify as Reserved Font Names?
Original authors are encouraged to name their fonts using clear, distinct 
names, and only declare the unique parts of the name as Reserved Font Names. 
For example, the author of a font called "Foobar Sans" would declare "Foobar" 
as a Reserved Font Name, but not "Sans", as that is a common typographical 
term, and may be a useful word to use in a derivative font name. Reserved Font 
Names should also be single words. A font called "Flowing River" should have 
Reserved Font Names "Flowing" and "River", not "Flowing River". You also need 
to be very careful about reserving font names which are already linked to 
trademarks (whether registered or not) which you do not own.

5.6  Do I, as an author, have to identify any Reserved Font Names?
No, but we strongly encourage you to do so. This is to avoid confusion between 
your work and Modified Versions.

5.7  Are any names (such as the main font name) reserved by default?
No. That is a change to the license as of version 1.1. If you want any names to 
be Reserved Font Names, they must be specified after the copyright statement(s).

5.8  Is there any situation in which I can use Reserved Font Names for a 
Modified Version?
The Copyright Holder(s) can give certain trusted parties the right to use any 
of the Reserved Font Names through separate written agreements. For example, 
even if "Foobar" is a RFN, you could write up an agreement to give company 
"XYZ" the right to distribute a modified version with a name that includes 
"Foobar". This allows for freedom without confusion.

5.9  Do font rebuilds require a name change? Do I have to change the name of 
the font when my packaging workflow includes a full rebuild from source?
Yes, all rebuilds which change the font data and the smart code are Modified 
Versions and the requirements of the OFL apply: you need to respect what the 
Author(s) have chosen in terms of Reserved Font Names. However if a package (or 
installer) is simply a wrapper or a compressed structure around the final font 
- leaving them intact on the inside - then no name change is required. Please 
get in touch with the author(s) and copyright holder(s) to inquire about the 
presence of font sources beyond the final font file(s) and the recommended 
build path. That build path may very well be non-trivial and hard to reproduce 
accurately by the maintainer. If a full font build path is made available by 
the upstream author(s) please be aware that any regressions and changes you may 
introduce when doing a rebuild for packaging purposes is your responsibility as 
a package maintainer since you are effectively creating a separate branch. You 
should make it very clear to your users that your rebuilt version is not the 
canonical one from upstream.

5.10  Can I add other Reserved Font Names when making a derivative font?
Yes. List your additional Reserved Font Names after your additional copyright 
statement, as indicated with example placeholders at the top of the OFL.txt 
file. Be sure you do not remove any exiting RFNs but only add your own.


6  ABOUT THE FONTLOG

6.1  What is this FONTLOG thing exactly?
It has three purposes: 1) to provide basic information on the font to users and 
other developers, 2) to document changes that have been made to the font or 
accompanying files, either by the original authors or others, and 3) to provide 
a place to acknowledge authors and other contributors. Please use it!

6.2  Is the FONTLOG required?
It is not a requirement of the license, but we strongly recommend you have one.

6.3  Am I required to update the FONTLOG when making Modified Versions?
No, but users, designers and other developers might get very frustrated with 
you if you don't. People need to know how derivative fonts differ from the 
original, and how to take advantage of the changes, or build on them. There are 
utilities that can help create and maintain a FONTLOG, such as the FONTLOG 
support in FontForge.

6.4  What should the FONTLOG look like?
It is typically a separate text file (FONTLOG.txt), but can take other formats. 
It commonly includes these four sections:

- brief header describing the FONTLOG itself and name of the font family
- Basic Font Information - description of the font family, purpose and breadth
- ChangeLog - chronological listing of changes
- Acknowledgements - list of authors and contributors with contact information

It could also include other sections, such as: where to find documentation, how 
to make contributions, information on contributing organizations, source code 
details, and a short design guide. See Appendix A for an example FONTLOG.


7  MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO OFL PROJECTS

7.1  Can I contribute work to OFL projects?
In many cases, yes. It is common for OFL fonts to be developed by a team of 
people who welcome contributions from the wider community. Contact the original 
authors for specific information on how to participate in their projects.

7.2  Why should I contribute my changes back to the original authors?
It would benefit many people if you contributed back in response to what you've 
received. Your contributions and improvements to the fonts and other components 
could be a tremendous help and would encourage others to contribute as well and 
'give back'. You will then benefit from other people's contributions as well. 
Sometimes maintaining your own separate version takes more effort than merging 
back with the original. Be aware that any contributions, however, must be 
either your own original creation or work that you own, and you may be asked to 
affirm that clearly when you contribute.

7.3  I've made some very nice improvements to the font. Will you consider 
adopting them and putting them into future Original Versions?
Most authors would be very happy to receive such contributions. Keep in mind 
that it is unlikely that they would want to incorporate major changes that 
would require additional work on their end. Any contributions would likely need 
to be made for all the fonts in a family and match the overall design and 
style. Authors are encouraged to include a guide to the design with the fonts. 
It would also help to have contributions submitted as patches or clearly marked 
changes - the use of smart source revision control systems like subversion, 
svk, mercurial, git or bzr is a good idea. Please follow the recommendations 
given by the author(s) in terms of preferred source formats and configuration 
parameters for sending contributions. If this is not indicated in a FONTLOG or 
other documentation of the font, consider asking them directly. Examples of 
useful contributions are bug fixes, additional glyphs, stylistic alternates 
(and the smart font code to access them) or improved hinting. Keep in mind that 
some kinds of changes (esp. hinting) may be technically difficult to integrate.

7.4  How can I financially support the development of OFL fonts?
It is likely that most authors of OFL fonts would accept financial 
contributions - contact them for instructions on how to do this. Such 
contributions would support future development. You can also pay for others to 
enhance the fonts and contribute the results back to the original authors for 
inclusion in the Original Version.


8  ABOUT THE LICENSE ITSELF

8.1  I see that this is version 1.1 of the license. Will there be later changes?
Version 1.1 is the first minor revision of the OFL. We are confident that 
version 1.1 will meet most needs, but are open to future improvements. Any 
revisions would be for future font releases, and previously existing licenses 
would remain in effect. No retroactive changes are possible, although the 
Copyright Holder(s) can re-release the font under a revised OFL. All versions 
will be available on our web site: http://scripts.sil.org/OFL.

8.2  Does this license restrict the rights of the Copyright Holder(s)?
No. The Copyright Holder(s) still retain(s) all the rights to their creation; 
they are only releasing a portion of it for use in a specific way. For example, 
the Copyright Holder(s) may choose to release a 'basic' version of their font 
under the OFL, but sell a restricted 'enhanced' version. Only the Copyright 
Holder(s) can do this.

8.3  Is the OFL a contract or a license?
The OFL is a license and not a contract and so does not require you to sign it 
to have legal validity. By using, modifying and redistributing components under 
the OFL you indicate that you accept the license.

8.4  I really like the terms of the OFL, but want to change it a little. Am I 
allowed to take ideas and actual wording from the OFL and put them into my own 
custom license for distributing my fonts?
We strongly recommend against creating your very own unique open licensing 
model. Using a modified or derivative license will likely cut you off - along 
with the font(s) under that license - from the community of designers using the 
OFL, potentially expose you and your users to legal liabilities, and possibly 
put your work and rights at risk. The OFL went though a community and legal 
review process that took years of effort, and that review is only applicable to 
an unmodified OFL. The text of the OFL has been written by SIL (with review and 
consultation from the community) and is copyright (c) 2005-2010 SIL 
International. You may re-use the ideas and wording (in part, not in whole) in 
another non-proprietary license provided that you call your license by another 
unambiguous name, that you do not use the preamble, that you do not mention SIL 
and that you clearly present your license as different from the OFL so as not 
to cause confusion by being too similar to the original. If you feel the OFL 
does not meet your needs for an open license, please contact us.

8.5  Can I translate the license and the FAQ into other languages?
SIL certainly recognises the need for people who are not familiar with English 
to be able to understand the OFL and its use. Making the license very clear and 
readable has been a key goal for the OFL, but we know that people understand 
their own language best.

If you are an experienced translator, you are very welcome to translate the OFL 
and OFL-FAQ so that designers and users in your language community can 
understand the license better. But only the original English version of the 
license has legal value and has been approved by the community. Translations do 
not count as legal substitutes and should only serve as a way to explain the 
original license. SIL - as the author and steward of the license for the 
community at large - does not approve any translation of the OFL as legally 
valid because even small translation ambiguities could be abused and create 
problems.

SIL gives permission to publish unofficial translations into other languages 
provided that they comply with the following guidelines:

- Put the following disclaimer in both English and the target language stating 
clearly that the translation is unofficial:

"This is an unofficial translation of the SIL Open Font License into 
<language_name>. It was not published by SIL International, and does not 
legally state the distribution terms for fonts that use the OFL. A release 
under the OFL is only valid when using the original English text. However, we 
recognize that this unofficial translation will help users and designers not 
familiar with English to better understand and use the OFL. We encourage 
designers who consider releasing their creation under the OFL to read the 
OFL-FAQ in their own language if it is available. Please go to 
http://scripts.sil.org/OFL for the official version of the license and the 
accompanying OFL-FAQ."

- Keep your unofficial translation current and update it at our request if 
needed, for example if there is any ambiguity which could lead to confusion.  

If you start such a unofficial translation effort of the OFL and OFL-FAQ please 
let us know.


9  ABOUT SIL INTERNATIONAL

9.1  Who is SIL International and what do they do?
SIL serves language communities worldwide, building their capacity for 
sustainable language development, by means of research, translation, training 
and materials development. SIL makes its services available to all without 
regard to religious belief, political ideology, gender, race, or ethnic 
background. SIL's members and volunteers share a Christian commitment.

9.2  What does this have to do with font licensing?
The ability to read, write, type and publish in one's own language is one of 
the most critical needs for millions of people around the world. This requires 
fonts that are widely available and support lesser-known languages. SIL 
develops - and encourages others to develop - a complete stack of writing 
systems implementation components available under open licenses. This open 
stack includes input methods, smart fonts, smart rendering libraries and smart 
applications. There has been a need for a common open license that is 
specifically applicable to fonts and related software (a crucial component of 
this stack), so SIL developed the SIL Open Font License with the help of the 
Free/Libre and Open Source Software community.

9.3  How can I contact SIL?
Our main web site is: http://www.sil.org/
Our site about complex scripts is: http://scripts.sil.org/
Information about this license (and contact information) is at: 
http://scripts.sil.org/OFL


APPENDIX A - FONTLOG EXAMPLE

Here is an example of the recommended format for a FONTLOG, although other 
formats are allowed.

-----
FONTLOG for the GlobalFontFamily fonts

This file provides detailed information on the GlobalFontFamily Font Software. 
This information should be distributed along with the GlobalFontFamily fonts 
and any derivative works.

Basic Font Information

GlobalFontFamily is a Unicode typeface family that supports all languages that 
use the Latin script and its variants, and could be expanded to support other 
scripts.

NewWorldFontFamily is based on the GlobalFontFamily and also supports Greek, 
Hebrew, Cyrillic and Armenian.

More specifically, this release supports the following Unicode ranges...
This release contains...
Documentation can be found at...
To contribute to the project...

ChangeLog

1 August 2008 (Tom Parker) GlobalFontFamily version 1.2.1
- Tweaked the smart font code (Branch merged with trunk version)
- Provided improved build and debugging environment for smart behaviours

7 February 2007 (Pat Johnson) NewWorldFontFamily Version 1.3
- Added Greek and Cyrillic glyphs

7 March 2006 (Fred Foobar) NewWorldFontFamily Version 1.2
- Tweaked contextual behaviours

1 Feb 2005 (Jane Doe) NewWorldFontFamily Version 1.1
- Improved build script performance and verbosity
- Extended the smart code documentation
- Corrected minor typos in the documentation
- Fixed position of combining inverted breve below (U+032F)
- Added OpenType/Graphite smart code for Armenian
- Added Armenian glyphs (U+0531 -> U+0587) 
- Released as "NewWorldFontFamily"

1 Jan 2005 (Joe Smith) GlobalFontFamily Version 1.0
- Initial release

Acknowledgements

If you make modifications be sure to add your name (N), email (E), web-address 
(if you have one) (W) and description (D). This list is in alphabetical order.

N: Jane Doe
E: jane@university.edu
W: http://art.university.edu/projects/fonts
D: Contributor - Armenian glyphs and code

N: Fred Foobar
E: fred@foobar.org
W: http://foobar.org
D: Contributor - misc Graphite fixes

N: Pat Johnson
E: pat@fontstudio.org
W: http://pat.fontstudio.org
D: Designer - Greek & Cyrillic glyphs based on Roman design

N: Tom Parker
E: tom@company.com
W: http://www.company.com/tom/projects/fonts
D: Engineer - original smart font code

N: Joe Smith
E: joe@fontstudio.org
W: http://joe.fontstudio.org
D: Designer - original Roman glyphs

Fontstudio.org is an not-for-profit design group whose purpose is...
Foobar.org is a distributed community of developers...
Company.com is a small business who likes to support community designers...
University.edu is a renowed educational institution with a strong design 
department...
-----
