Does anyone have a list of type foundries that limit how many units you can print?

J. Bridges
J. Bridges Posts: 91
in Type Business
Does anyone have a list of type foundries that limit how many units you can print? I thought I saw a list by Joyce but now I cannot find it. Trying to avoid getting into trouble.

Comments

  • JoyceKetterer
    JoyceKetterer Posts: 813
    I definitely never made a list.  It's very hard to keep track of these things because they can change.  Even if there was a list I'd not trust it.  It's best to check the EULA (which could also sometimes be different for different fonts). 

    Probably a find function search for "large volume", "commercial", "impressions" and "personal" will get what you're looking for.  Even if a EULA doesn't expressly limit the number of units you can print they might refer to impressions instead (so as to cover digital) or simply say that it's a personal use license.  The last one is a little tricky since personal use could potentially involve a lot of impressions but I'm guessing that in your case the need to print at volume is for a commercial client, so that would let you know that EULA wouldn't work.  I hope that helps. 
  • JoyceKetterer
    JoyceKetterer Posts: 813
    edited September 2022
    PS - some licenses don't permit products (which many foundries think of as including product packaging) or logos. If either of those are the reason you want to print a lot you should search for those two.  All that said, no license via Adobe has any of these restrictions.  
  • J. Bridges
    J. Bridges Posts: 91
    I have attempted to embargo all fonts with licenses I have purchased that have quantity limitations or cannot be used for logos. For the most part I try to use Adobe fonts or other collections I have purchased licenses to that have simple commercial license.
  • J. Bridges
    J. Bridges Posts: 91
    edited September 2022
    I think this is the post I was referring to that I mistakenly attributed to Joyce: 
    https://typedrawers.com/discussion/comment/22461#Comment_22461
    Unfortunately I have purchased quite a few of these. I have to admit I was not always good about reading the license. I got burned so I learned the hard way. Which is mostly the reason why I come here.
  • JoyceKetterer
    JoyceKetterer Posts: 813
    @J. Bridges. It's a mistake to think that font EULAs are a fixed thing.  Yes, the license you purchased isn't likely to change*, but the foundry might make a new EULA or be purchased. If a new EULA is more permissive than the one you made your purchase under under, you can probably contact the foundry to ask to be updated to the new license.  

    Also, that list is definitely not comprehensive.  There's no short cuts here.  You have to read the EULA you have, or the EULA currently issued before you make a purchase. 

    *Some font licenses do say that the terms are subject to change, because that's a standard thing in software.  However, this has never been tested in a court.  I'm not a lawyer and this is not legal advice... from a business perspective I strongly suspect that changes without consent by the licensee to the new licensed would not be enforced in court. Thats why Darden Studio doesn't have that clause.  A lot of font licenses were written by lawyers who are expert in software but don't really understand how fonts work and that you can't push EULA agreement at any point other than purchase.

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