Using Multi-licensed stuff in games?

[Gradian]

My dilemma is that there's a font I really want to use in my games (A real nice one at that) that's dual-licensed under both GPL (with font exception) & OFL.

I read up as much as I could to understand both licenses. The OFL is what I favour, and GPL with font-exception only applies to documents and not applications (in this case, games) so this can be troubling for works I don't want to release under that license. The problem is the multi-license effect sent me into more confusion.

I'm not studying law and while English is my best language (it's not my first though), when it gets to the heavily detailed stuff with new and confusing terms, it gives me headaches (hence why I need a tl;dr for these things). I couldn't understand much of multi-license.

My main question is, how does multi-license actually work, especially when you use software(in the case of fonts) with multi-license in your games? Will they be affected by all the given licenses listed or one of the license the user sees fit to use?

 

[Sharm]

My understanding of a multi-license is that you use the one that works for your situation and ignore the other one. The point of multiple licenses is to be more usable, not less.

 

[Gradian]

But are bits of the other license you ignore still in effect? What about softwares that used to have a single license? Do I have to use the first license it had or I have the freedom to choose either? Sorry for asking too much answers even when a clear answer provided orz

 

[Sharm]

What I'm talking about is where things are dual licensed by their creator.  Basically, when a creator does that, they're saying "well, some people need to use a different license for what they're doing so I'll provide the option to use either one".  In that case the other license you don't end up using doesn't matter at all.

When you start getting into things with multiple licenses because the resources are from multiple creators, that I don't know anything about.  I think in that situation all the licenses are in effect at the same time and wherever there's a conflict you go with whatever is more restrictive.

If you're still unsure, just ask the creator of whatever it is you want to use.  Just be clear about how you want to use it and don't email as a way to avoid reading the rules and you'll be fine.

 

[Tsukihime]

But are bits of the other license you ignore still in effect? What about softwares that used to have a single license? Do I have to use the first license it had or I have the freedom to choose either? Sorry for asking too much answers even when a clear answer provided orz

Multi-licensing is an established concept, though that doesn't mean people need to follow it. Someone could conceivably adopt multiple licenses if for some reason they felt one of them wasn't enough to cover all the bases they wanted.


As Sharm suggests ask them what their terms are and what they mean when they provide multiple licenses.