[ros-kernel] Hey guys...

[Nate DeSimone]

    As far as Microsoft changing the license on these fonts such that we 
could not use them will never happen, which goes back to the reason why 
these fonts where released in the first place, way back in the days of 
Internet Explorer 4, Microsoft cut a deal with the W3C such that 
Microsoft would allow free use of certain core fonts that they owned, 
because those fonts will be used to display web pages.  The W3C wanted 
those common fonts that nearly all websites are designed with to be 
freely available so websites would display they way they were intended 
on all platforms, assuming that Microsoft's fonts were installed.  So 
even if they wanted to change the license and found some legal hurdle 
that allowed them to, they would be going against a contract with the 
W3C if they did. 

    But I agree that these fonts should be optional for users.  Perhaps 
a good compromise for those that want them in the main ReactOS 
distribution and those that want them as a separate download would be to 
add code to the installer to ask if the user wants to install the fonts, 
and if he chooses yes, the installer downloads a font installer from the 
ReactOS website (thus the fonts are not included in the main 
distribution), and then runs it, which then displays the EULA, and 
installs the fonts should the user choose I Agree.  This allows for near 
painless installation of the fonts (which is what I think the people who 
want it in the main distribution really care about,) and at the same 
time it does not require the fonts be in the main distribution, so 
everyone is happy.  Of course for this to work, ReactOS has to have 
working networking features, so this would be a project for later.

Regards,

Nate DeSimone