What does this mean about fonts like Helvetica? Are they typically protected by ...

ars · on March 23, 2012

If it was protected by a design patent, it's expired by now (they last 14 years).

> could someone take a bitmap screenshot of Helvetica, product a font from it, and distribute that font?

Yes, and not only can they, people in fact do it. That's basically what Arial is, and there are open source versions as well.

almost · on March 23, 2012

You can trace the outlines and produce an exact or almost exact copy, and that's what Ariel actually is.

Drbble · on March 24, 2012

How is tracing a published work not considered copying?

ars · on March 25, 2012

Because it's letters of the alphabet, and you can't copyright them or their shape.

The small modification you make to the shape are not considered enough to give you copyright.

almost · on March 24, 2012

I'm not a lawyer so I couldn't say. But apparently that's how it works when it comes to fonts.