Public domain 8x8 bitmap font

[inx]

I'm working on a project for a system that has no character generator, and needed a bitmap 8x8 font.
I wanted to be absolutely sure that there would be no licensing issues, theoretical, rhetorical, or otherwise,
so I created my own with similar stylization to the old Commodore 64 shifted ROM font, and including the IBM
extensions with the first 32 cells, which for ASCII standard are control codes, filled with random little graphics.

I only implemented the ASCII-67 standard, so there's only 128 cells. I didn't add the block graphics because I,
personally, don't have any use for them, or any of the extended ASCII characters, because I probably won't be
internationalizing this project, and if I do, it'll be through loadable codepages that will fill in the other 128
cells.

Anyway, for anyone with similar needs, I've attached it in tarballed GIMP xcf format with a text file stating the
"license" =p

EDIT: Removed old archive, replaced with a new one. The font is now named Vincent, and the archive now
includes the font in C header format as a 128x8 byte array.

PS: I'm pretty proud of the header. =p It's the result of my first program that outputs source code. lol

[Combuster]

If you do need some more: my 8x8 font, unicode based. (contains 376 unicode points at the time of posting)

[inx]

Thank you.

[xvedejas]

I was under the impression that bitmap fonts are not copyrightable?

[inx]

IIRC, you're correct. However, you also can't patent anything with prior art, which hasn't stopped anyone.

[quok]

In the US at least, typefaces are not copyrightable. Bitmap fonts are not copyrightable, but scalable fonts (outline fonts, like postscript and truetype fonts) are copyrightable.

Sources: some simple google searches and the comp.fonts faq.

[Solar]

In the US at least, typefaces are not copyrightable.

Yet.

If in doubt, it's always nice to have a source that says "PD".

[montrom]

Off topic but still within the context of the current discussion. Is it a violation of copyright to use a similar design as lets say the MSDOS console display? Such as using the format C:\blah\blah2\blah3> as your prompt, and the loader might look like GRUB or the Windows boot menu. Would any of that be in violation of copyright, that you know of?

[Karlosoft]

In Italy everybody makes something can decide how to distribute it and it's the only owner. Bitmaps and fonts too. I don't believe there is a great difference between the author of a scalable font or a bitmap one....

[JackScott]

Off topic but still within the context of the current discussion. Is it a violation of copyright to use a similar design as lets say the MSDOS console display? Such as using the format C:\blah\blah2\blah3> as your prompt, and the loader might look like GRUB or the Windows boot menu. Would any of that be in violation of copyright, that you know of?

You're more at risk of violating a patent than a copyright. A copyright only applies to a certain sequence of characters/music/text etc. A patent applies to how something works (telephone, radio, etc). That said, I don't think the MS-DOS prompt is patented...

Of course, if you're really worried, best to seek legal advice.

[inx]

In the US at least, typefaces are not copyrightable

Yet.

That was my thought.

If in doubt, it's always nice to have a source that says "PD".

Thank you, that was my reasoning for going through the effort.

Is it a violation of copyright to use a similar design as lets say the MSDOS console display? Such as using the format C:\blah\blah2\blah3> as your prompt...

As JackScott said, I wouldn't think so, but to shine light on why from a different direction, the MS-DOS prompt is configurable.
c:\<etc>> is the default, but you can happily set it to whatever you want. Maybe if your prompt defaults to the same and is also set
to it exactly the same way (some system variable being set to "$P$G"), there might, possibly be an issue, but even then, FreeDOS
seems to be okay so far. I don't think it's something to worry about, but if in doubt, being original is always your best course of action,
IMNSHO.

...and the loader might look like GRUB or the Windows boot menu.

As for GRUB, I doubt the authors would care either way, but I also doubt they would refuse to answer the question if posited to them.
In the case of both, however, I doubt that they would have two feet to stand on, as their menus look that way because they followed conventions
set by yet other systems. If someone were to come after you in a serious manner, it would be from further back in the timeline than either of
those. Also, and IANAL, I believe there's some kind of exception to trademark law by something becoming a de facto standard through habitual
failure to defend said trademark.