Drupal.org CVS policy regarding fonts

Hi,

I have a licensing related question about fonts in drupal.org distributed packages. I am not a lawyer or license expert, so I'd like some better informed people look at this.

I'm not sure if this is the right way to raise this question, I only found this forum thread, which is close to what I want to ask, but it is in deprecation mode, so I thought to start a new thread here.

Anyway, I'm the maintainer of the Image CAPTCHA module. For better usability and smoother install experience, I'd like to package a/some TTF font(s) with the module (#259219: provide a better default font for image CAPTCHA). Right now, users have to upload a TTF font separately before the module can do something sensible. It's not a real deal breaker, but now that usability gets all the hype, I thought providing a "good" default font lowers the usability barrier.

The problem is of course licensing and the Drupal.org policy regarding third party code. I found for example these pointers
http://drupal.org/node/124978, http://lists.drupal.org/pipermail/development/2006-May/016589.html, http://drupal.org/node/66113

Two important themes in those discussion:

1. only GPL "stuff" can go in Drupal.org CVS
2. mirroring third party source code (which typically has its own version control system and release system) in Drupal.org CVS is a bad idea

Now, the second item is of less importance in the case of fonts, because a font typically don't get updated that often as source code, especially in the case of a font for an Image CAPTCHA.

The first item is of course more tricky, which is why I raise this question here. All those proprietary fonts and restrictively licensed fonts are out of the question, but I see three other options for the moment:

1. The Liberation Fonts by Red Had, which have a GPL+exeption licence:
   

   LIBERATION font software (the "Software") consists of TrueType-OpenType formatted font software for rendering LIBERATION typefaces in sans-serif, serif, and monospaced character styles. You are licensed to use, modify, copy, and distribute the Software pursuant to the GNU General Public License v.2 with the following exceptions:

   (a) As a special exception, if you create a document which uses this font, and embed this font or unaltered portions of this font into the document, this font does not by itself cause the resulting document to be covered by the GNU General Public License. This exception does not however invalidate any other reasons why the document might be covered by the GNU General Public License. If you modify this font, you may extend this exception to your version of the font, but you are not obligated to do so. If you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your version.

   (b) As a further exception, any distribution of the object code of the Software in a physical product must provide you the right to access and modify the source code for the Software and to reinstall that modified version of the Software in object code form on the same physical product on which you received it.

   Is it ok to redistribute a font with these exeptions to the GPL in Drupal.org package?

2. I also found a public domain font: http://tulrich.com/fonts/ which can be used totally unrestricted:
   

   I grant any entity the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.

   Is it ok to redistribute a public domain font in a GPL licenced Drupal.org package?

3. creating a font myself, e.g. with http://fontstruct.fontshop.com or another tool, and putting it in a GPL licenced drupal.org package, just like PHP source code. I am not a professional typographic designer, so the font will be crappy and I would only do this when nothing else is possible. However, for an Image CAPTCHA it could also be a advantage that the font is a bit crappy ;).

thanks for you time