Help on Creative Commons License

11 posts / 0 new
Last post
Help on Creative Commons License

I have been searching the web for free fonts to download to make word arts. I came across a website that has this Creative Commons License Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-ND 3.0)

I understand the attribution part but the No Derivatives got me confused. It says "If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified material."

Could someone please help me understand? Thanks.

Ella .. I think what they mean is if you changed the font itself in any way that is not allowed ...

That's kinda what I was thinking... Like if you made an actual font created from that font.

Derivative would be anything made with it...ie your Word Art. So this is saying that though it is Commons License, and free (you don't have to purchase it) to use it, you are not allow to use it in making another creation and then saying that creation is yours or distributing that new "art" creation.

smiley

Oh duh, now I find it. I looked all over for it yesterday, and now this morning I find it.

Attribution-NoDerivs
CC BY-ND

This license allows for redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as it is passed along unchanged and in whole, with credit to you.

I actually bookmarked this link, because it has good info and for some reason even though I knew a page like this had to exist I couldn't find it. The Attribution was throwing me off.

Thanks for the link Nicole.

So, does that mean if I download a font that is under Attribution-NoDerivs license, then I can't use it to make word arts to give away as freebies or maybe sell in the future? This whole legal terms is making my head spin smiley I am grateful for those of you who can understand it better and explain it to me in layman's terms smiley

Yea, basically how I understand it is that the actual font file can be distributed as long as credit, etc, etc is given hence the This license allows for redistribution, commercial and non-commercial, as long as it is passed along unchanged and in whole, with credit to you.

Which really confuses me, because going by that logic, you could sell the font, but not make anything from it? I also found this link that may help you as well.

It is very confusing to me as well, so don't feel bad. I have huge issues with copyright laws/procedures (not the act of copyright itself, hold the flames lol) but just the way it is carried out. Most of the time it can be vague and confusing, when in reality it could be very simple.

Maybe I am not doing proper research, and maybe I am not understanding this correctly, so sorry I can't be better help!

So how do people that sell word art kits get around this, if that applies to that kind of thing? Create their own fonts? This kind of stuff can be confusing, to the point of wanting to make every single little thing yourself, even fonts! Sometimes trying to figure out all this stuff can make your head spin! And having created graphics for years, I'm not new to the copyright issues, but man! lol

-Lisa

I guess what you would have to do is find a font with a CCL like this one;

Attribution
CC BY

This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation. This is the most accommodating of licenses offered. Recommended for maximum dissemination and use of licensed materials.

Thanks, Nicole. smiley

-Lisa

This seems like such an odd CC choice. According to the selected CC, the original author doesn't mind if someone else sells their font as-is but doesn't want anyone to use it to make derivative works. Seems silly to me. If one doesn't care that another makes a commercial profit off their hard work, then why would one care if another put some more hard work into it and made a derivative work? It seems self defeating to me.