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I am considering buying Servus Slab from MyFonts for use in a newspaper with a "Desktop License", but since we have a website, we would like to upload the finished PDFs online for viewing. However, in skimming the EULA, it seems like neither the Web license nor the Desktop license allow us to do this.

Desktop:

You may use the licensed fonts to create EPS files or other scalable drawings provided that such files are only used by the household or company licensing the font.

Web:

The Licensed Web Fonts may be used in a Website where visitors produce Styled Content by directly or indirectly selecting a Licensed Web Font and entering or editing content using that Licensed Web Font, if and only if the Website does not enable or facilitate the Styled Content being used outside the Website. Examples of using Styled Content outside of a Website include but are not limited to producing merchandise, PDF documents, image files, or personalized physical objects using the Styled Content.

It seems awfully restrictive that neither permit this, so I'm wondering if I'm misconstruing the information in any way?

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    Perhaps you can contact the type foundry itself and ask for clarification in regards to PDFs that can be downloaded from a website? They may say its okay as long as the PDFs are locked down.
    – bemdesign
    Jan 14, 2015 at 23:36

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PDFs embed fonts without any direct means to extract the fonts. Fonts within a PDF are not web fonts. Web fonts are live fonts displayed in the HTML. This is much different than an embedded font within a PDF.

In my experience, if the font license permits embedding the font within a PDF, then that PDF can be displayed, distributed and used in any manner (because the font can not be extracted from the PDF for reuse.)

So, I would say, if the font is embedded in the PDF, you can place that PDF on a web server without infringing on licenses.

Fonts with restrictions on PDF display/use will traditionally not allow embedding within the PDF itself.

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  • I asked the foundry, and they said the same: "Most font licenses cover unlimited commercial use for print and other "static" work. The thing that is not allowed under the licenses we sell is distribution of the font software itself -- i.e. digital copying of any kind." They mentioned that as long as "[I don't] charge for access to the PDF's" (where I would need a Server license) a Desktop license is sufficient. Thanks!
    – concat
    Jan 15, 2015 at 14:20
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I think you are misconstruing the licence.

The Licensed Web Fonts may be used in a Website where visitors produce Styled Content...

Your website visitors aren't producing your PDFs. Therefore that exclusion does not apply.

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