Fonts for use in embedded GUI

Question

I am looking for fonts for use in an embedded GUI application with a small display and keypad.

Are there any free fonts available that people have used? What about the licenses for free fonts? Are there any special requirements for an application like an embedded GUI? For example, include the License in the source code.

Take the GNU FreeFont family fonts. The website talks about using these fonts in documents or altering them to fit your needs. If I have a way to import those fonts into my application (unaltered) and use them on my display, is that considered the same as using them to create a document with, let's say, AbiWord or OpenOffice?

Also, what are the practical differences between free (open source, e.g. GNU FreeFont), license free (e.g. Fonts from link in Mark Rushakoff's comment below) and royalty free as far as fonts are concerned?

Answer 1

I have had a lengthy string of emails with 'Caleb' from Adobe licensing because I wanted to use 'Myriad' for a GUI in a touch screen product. Here is my last email and his reply which contradict Nietzche-jou's answer to this topic:

Hi Caleb,

I imagine many people want to create apps for mobile phones using Adobe fonts, especially as much of the Adobe Suite is set up for this purpose (Flex, Air etc) so how do you licence fonts for use in apps to be used in mobile phones? Or do Adobe not licence their fonts for use in screen based products at all?

Thanks Corrie

Reply:

At this time, we do not currently license our fonts for use in mobile apps except some very specific licenses we have created for some table devices. There are a great many iOS apps that are currently using our fonts that are using them illegally, and we are looking into what our next steps will be.

Caleb

What fonts CAN a GUI designer use??