> > Where's the benefit if you do not plan to sell? There are plenty of
> > downsides to using OGL if you are developing "not-for-profit",
> > but I don't
> > see the benefits. Maybe you could fill us in on on what you see as the
> > upside.
>
>1. The current online policy's days are numbered.
You don;t know this, and (fundamentally) I think it is unlikely that it is
true, for numerous reasons already stated.
>2. It's a legal construct rather than a vague, perhaps selectively enforced
>policy.
The OGL itself specifically allows for selective enforcement. the online
use policy is neither vague nor has the potential to be selectively
enforced. It simply states "do not sell".
>3. It's binding, and not subject to change at the whim of the company.
But the effect of the online use policy changing (which *might* or *might
not* happen) is exactly the same as if you just convert to OGL anyway. Once
finalized, the OGL will always be there. It will always restrict you A LOT
more than the online use policy, and it will be a major hassle to convert -
so as long as the "online use" is still alive, WHY would anyone convert.
I have only heard one good reason so far - "Because I have a fetish for
adhering to arbitrary rules."
>4. It's better than no protection from infringement suits.
No. It is worse. It has already been well established that you are more
vulnerable to lawsuits under the OGL, because it extends protections beyond
current trademark law.
>Perhaps WotC will grant permission to use certain trademarks in a specific
>way as Closed material under the OGL, much like the d20 STL does for Open
>material. That would certainly be a big improvement over the existing
>policy from a legal standpoint, and give WotC better legal control over how
>their trademarks were used. Perhaps they won't.
Ho Ho Ho. By Ryan's own admission, the trademarks are where the bulk of the
value is. They are never going to be opened.
Still waiting for just one valid reason - other than a fetish for rules (;>)
why OGL is better for free products than the "online use policy"...
Faust
Faust
_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at
http://profiles.msn.com.
-------------
For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
