>From: Christopher L Weeks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
>"Ryan S. Dancey" wrote:
>
> > The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is
> > Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights
>Reserved.
> > No permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this text in any
>media
> > without the prior written consent of the Copyright Holder.
>
>...
>
> > 10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with
>every
> > copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
>
>So what does that first bit preclude?
It means that the license couldn't be initially released and CAN'T be
modified without Wizards managing and overseeing that change. It means that
Ryan Dancey is acting as WotC's "designated agent" when he is working on the
License.
The license is the sum total of the IP that makes up the Foundation - it is
the REASON for the Foundations existence, and WotC, (not Ryan Dancey) owns
it.
And Mr. Dancey has no legal claim to it.
>"Faustus von Goethe" wrote:
>
> > The Open Gaming Foundation is a private organization,
> > and it not managed by or overseen by Wizards of the Coast or
> > any other game publisher.
> >
> >I have contacted Mr. Dancey about this privately & he refused to change
>it -
> >insisting it is technically true. This is why I am no longer actively
> >putting effort into the FAQ or pulicising it. I am not going to work to
> >support an organization that actively seeks to mislead.
>
>Which part of it is purposely misleading? There are many organizations
>devoted
>to the use of products made by a company and those organizations have
>nothing to
>do with that company.
>I am a member of GardenSLUG (the Garden State LEGO User's
>Group) and we are in no way managed or overseen by The LEGO Corporation. I
>see
>this as quite similar.
Respectfully, you are incorrect.
>Ryan has this OGF that's his baby and it is devoted to
>promoting a product of a company (Wizards). But that doesn't mean that the
>OGF
>is run by Wizards.
As long as the OGL is copyright WotC. Wizards legally "oversees and manages"
its release. Mr. Dancey does not have control of that license except to the
extent that WotC says he does - and THAT can change at ANY time.
I was reserving discussing this issue on the lists until the license was
final, as I was *hoping* it would change to read "Copyright Ryan Dancey."
>My stance is somewhat shaken by the fact that Ryan is part
>of the management team at Wizards, but I think the logic remains.
As long as the LICENSE is Copyright WotC, logically, your stance is utterly
destroyed by this fact. Dancey could LEAVE WotC, but he CANNOT take the OGL
with him because WotC owns the license.
Under these circumstances the notion expressed by that quote ("not managed
by or overseen by Wizards") is ludicrous.
Note that I would have *NO PROBLEM* with any of these statements if the
License were copyright "Ryan Dancey" or "The Open Gaming Foundation"
(provided the registered owner of the foundation were Mr. Dancey and not
Wizards).
But currently the ONLY thing of ANY value in the Open Gaming Foundation is
the license, and WotC owns it - and Mr. Dancey can not take it with him if
he leaves WotC.
It doesn't matter one BIT who's paying for it - it matters who OWNS it.
Faust
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