Monotype just hit us with a $30k/yr font license fee for one font(old.reddit.com)
37 pointsby robin_reala11 days ago4 comments
  • mytailorisrich11 days ago
    Pro tip: when you have a restrictive licence and suddenly they ask you for details of your actual use you reply "we use it accordingly to the terms of our licence" or you politely reply that they should direct any questions to your legal and licensing department.

    On a side note, I am puzzled as to why a "small non-profit" would pay $4k a year to license a single font in the first place.

    IMO, they need to deny they are breaching the terms of their current license, then drop that font completely, and then wave the bully bye bye.

    • WhyNotHugo11 days ago
      > I am puzzled as to why a "small non-profit" would pay $4k a year to license a single font in the first place.

      Yeah, that’s just ridiculous. Imagine how many small donations are made to some non-profit cause and then up being wasted on paying for fancy proprietary fonts.

      It’s unusual too; the non-profits with which I’ve interacted tend to use open source software and actually care about all this ethical stuff.

      • tsylba11 days ago
        > Imagine how many small donations are made to some non-profit cause and then up being wasted on paying for fancy proprietary fonts.

        I can imagine they'll take the angle it helps improve the "brand-awareness" which supposedly bring them more profits in the long run.

        For some non-profit I've given to I've received more donation reminder letters that my one time donation would have cover for.

  • elashri11 days ago
    > They said that if we don't continue licensing through them and "build a relationship," they'll have to charge us retroactively for our us

    Maybe I misunderstood this but does this mean they are threatening if they stopped using the font/s and just move in they will come after them for the charges they think they owe them in the past?

  • like_any_other11 days ago
    It's possible the poster's business has very high requirements for fonts that justify paying a license, but for 99% of businesses that aren't focused on typography, wouldn't it make more sense to use open source fonts?
  • andrewinardeer11 days ago
    Is this the new patent trolling?