#3D Studio FONTS
I basically agree with you that such software could be considered
"borderline" in its "conversion" use — however:
*) You state that the license agreement prohibits you from "converting
or altering the coding structure of the font in any manner." Well,
what do you call using the 3DS shaper/text option? You are taking
the type 1 code and turning it into 3DS shaper/mesh data, and
altering it in all sorts of ways. Hell, technically, sending the
font to your printer alters/converts the code! (I know — I'm kinda
stretching things with that last bit — sorry.)
*) Fontmonger also allows you to add/create/substitute symbols within
the font (ie adding a (c) or something so you don't have to go
popping up that darn Dingbats font all the time). I don't see that
function as in any way "stealing" anything from the font company.
*) _I_ accquired the software in order to take a font that was _close_
to a client's logo font (a state college) and alter it to match for
use on a coversheet for a set of drawings. Again, I don't see how
this is infringing on the rights of the font company as, if I'd have
been able to find an exact match, I would have been MORE than happy
to buy it. As it was, the final result of all my playing turned out
less than satisfactory, and I ended up just cleaning up a scan.
Anyway, while you feel that maybe it was less than "kosher" to
recommend conversion, I still feel that as long as I am not copying
the software to avoid buying more copies, then anything I want to do
with their font on one machine in order to get the output I want is
justified. Who am I cheating to convert a font to bring it in to 3D
Studio? That is a use that the font designers never originally
imagined. Many font companys these days even outright provide both
Type 1 _and_ TrueType versions of any font you buy, recognizing the
problem with "format wars" and the ridiculousness of having a font
and not being able to use it in some circumstance.