How To Install Microsoft Core Fonts?

[abc123]

Hi,

Running KDE Plasma on the Stable branch.

How do I install Microsoft Core Fonts?

Thanks!

[Nachlese]

Available via AUR - look for ttf-ms …

AUR (en) - Packages

[linux-aarhus]

For the record

Using Microsoft fonts outside the Windows operating system is a violation of copyright and license.

[cscs]

@linux-aarhus

Using Microsoft fonts outside the Windows operating system is a violation of copyright and license.

Erm … are we sure?

The Legality of Microsoft Fonts - Microsoft Q&A

For those that dont want to follow the link

The Microsoft Core Fonts are globally considered legal for installation.
Generally speaking, packages that are included in the official Linux repositories are not encumbered by any copyright or patent restrictions that would make it a crime to install.

Note however that the Msttcorefonts is provided in official Ubuntu software sources, is not free open source software.
This package installs proprietary fonts copyrighted by Microsoft, when you install it you are asked agree to Microsoft’s terms of use for these font.

[linux-aarhus]

I am sure. Thank you for enlighting me.

The referenced link tells you what you want to hear.

Redistribution and extended rights

Apart from the document embedding rights described previously, you may not redistribute the Windows fonts. You may not copy them to other computers or servers, and you may not convert them to other formats, including bitmap formats, or modify them.
– Font redistribution FAQ - Typography | Microsoft Learn

Where can I obtain extended rights that allow me to do the things that are not allowed under the Windows license, such as ship the fonts with my app, game or device?

Check the font properties to find the owner or developer of the font in question. Many of the fonts owned by Microsoft can be licensed with extended rights from Monotype. For other fonts contact the foundry owner identified under font properties.
– Font redistribution FAQ - Typography | Microsoft Learn

[cscs]

To be fair I think it was uncertain at some point but it seems that as long as the files are intact, the EULA is provided and its ‘not used to add value to commercial products’ then its entirely legal.

The project was terminated in August 2002, allegedly because of frequent EULA violations. A Microsoft spokesman declared in 2002 that “Microsoft has also found that the downloads were being abused—repackaged, modified and shipped with commercial products in violation of the EULA.” “Most users who wanted the fonts have downloaded them already.”[2][26][27] However, that same EULA allows redistribution if the packages are kept in their original format (.exe or .sit.hqx) and original filenames (e.g. times32.exe) and not used to add value to commercial products.[1][28] As a result, these packages are still available for download on third-party websites under the terms of the original web fonts end user license agreement.

The EULA referenced below also requires[29] that a copy be applied to transferees. The EULA is therefore directly linked to: for example, on the documentation page for the SourceForge “corefonts” download package.[30] If a third party offering the fonts for download does not offer a copy of the EULA, the legal status of such a download is questionable. However, a copy of the EULA is obtainable via the FAQ maintained on Microsoft’s typography website and from some other third-party websites.

The latest font-versions that were available from Microsoft’s Core fonts for the Web project were 2.x (e.g. 2.82 for Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New for MS Windows[31]), published in 2000. Later versions (such as version 3 or version 5 with many new characters) were not available from this project. A Microsoft spokesman declared in 2002 that members of the open source community “will have to find different sources for updated fonts… Although the EULA did not restrict the fonts to just Windows and Mac OS they were only ever available as Windows .exe’s and Mac archive files.”

Core fonts for the Web

@linux-aarhus

The referenced link tells you what you want to hear.

Redistribution and extended rights

Apart from the document embedding rights described previously, you may not redistribute the Windows fonts. You may not copy them to other computers or servers, and you may not convert them to other formats, including bitmap formats, or modify them.
– Font redistribution FAQ - Typography | Microsoft Learn

This is about windows bundled fonts … not about “Microsoft Core Fonts”

[linux-aarhus]

Fonts

Windows comes with a collection of pre-installed fonts. In general, the fonts supplied with Microsoft products may not be modified, copied, or redistributed. Explore the Font redistribution FAQ for Windows for more information. Many of the fonts that come with Microsoft products are also available directly from their original creators. Look at the trademark and copyright notices within each font file to determine who to contact for additional end user, ISV, or OEM licenses. Some of the fonts that contain copyright or trademark strings identifying Microsoft as the font’s creator can be licensed from Monotype Imaging. Find licensing information at Microsoft typography.
– Use of Microsoft Copyrighted Content | Microsoft Legal

No matter what you can find elsewhere

• Microsoft is pretty clear on the subject
• no redistribution.

[cscs]

But … its not the same thing.

@linux-aarhus

Windows comes with a collection of pre-installed fonts. In general, the fonts supplied with Microsoft products may not be modified, copied, or redistributed.

Is not the same as

Core fonts for the Web was a project started by Microsoft in 1996 to create a standard pack of fonts for the World Wide Web.

which is subject to its own EULA and terms.

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/ttf-ms-fonts

Uses

https://corefonts.sourceforge.net/

Which is what is referenced, for example at the wiki.

The latest font-versions that were available from Microsoft’s Core fonts for the Web project were 2.x (e.g. 2.82 for Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New for MS Windows[31]), published in 2000.
[…]
Even though the fonts are available from some third-party web sites (such as an anonymous SourceForge project) and are included with Mac OS

Which is not the same as somehow copying fonts out of your current windoze installation - which are the terms you keep referencing.

Microsoft Core Fonts (for the web) project != ~*Microsoft Fonts*~

[linux-aarhus]

The definition of Core Fonts is fluid - I have no means of identifying it is a reference to an old freeware project or it is fonts copied from a windows system.

I am aware of the old project and the license accompanying the files.

The old corefonts EULA; this license is not applicable for other ms-ttf-packages on AUR only the specific fonts included in this specific package https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/ttf-ms-fonts

This article Microsoft fonts - ArchWiki can be said to describe an illegal distribution of the fonts as it refers to various packages containing fonts for win10 win11 et.al.

[cscs]

I understand ‘core fonts’ may be used or understood ambiguously.

But there is a very unambiguous project called MS Core Fonts, and is for example, what is provided by the oft-cited AUR package. Itself providing the original format files as provided by microsoft (in exe) along with EULA … making it compliant with the terms accompanying MS Core Fonts as it existed before its termination in 2002. These terms supercede any other ‘generalized’ terms you may find applicable to current ms products.

The original unaltered .exe files as downloaded from microsoft.com when they were available here
[…]

• Does not distribute Microsoft’s fonts in a prohibited way (to the best of my knowledge that is)

Though those terms do still stipulate that those files may not freely be used to enhance a commercial product. So it can still be used in an illegal way.

[linux-aarhus]

I have added to the knowledge base

→ [LEGAL] Installing Microsoft Core Fonts on Manjaro Linux