ExtremeTech: Microsoft Withdraws Free Web Fonts

“Microsoft Corp. withdrew its free TrueType Web fonts on the eve
of LinuxWorld, leaving some Linux advocates upset about the
decision. Microsoft, however, said the fonts were being
‘abused’.

“The TrueType fonts, once available on this Microsoft web page,
were apparently pulled on Aug. 12, the first day of the LinuxWorld
show here. It was unclear which Linux distributions would be
affected by Microsoft’s decision, although a representative of the
Debian GNU/Linux organization said it had withdrawn a TrueType font
package from its distribution.

“In a statement, a spokesman for Microsoft said that the company
withdrew the free fonts for several reasons. ‘Most users who wanted
the fonts have downloaded them already,’ a company spokesman wrote
in an email to ExtremeTech. ‘They ship with recent OS’s–Windows XP
and Mac OS (via Internet Explorer). Microsoft has also found that
the downloads were being abused–repackaged, modified and shipped
with commercial products in violation of the EULA [licensing
agreement]…'”

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