From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of John Kim
Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2000 3:16 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Open_Gaming] Final Text of Approved Open Gaming License
<< Perhaps this was an oversight on Ryan's part. A question
to Ryan: Could the OGF website again mention other (non-WotC) games
that were made open before the OGF existed -- like FUDGE, Lycadican,
and Circe? Could it include copies of the licenses under which
these games were released alongside the Wizards of the Coast OGL? >>
Without taking ANY side in this debate -- since my business purposes are
nicely served by Wizards' business purposes, I cannot fairly try to view
this from the perspective of other community members who have voiced their
concerns -- I would like to point out that, at this moment, the OGF Web site
is still actively soliciting volunteers. In particular:
"Webmaster - to assume the role of developing and maintaining the
Foundation's main home page and related web content.
"Web Designer - to provide graphic design and page design assistance to the
Webmaster.
"Editor/Proofreader - to provide editorial assistance to the Webmaster to
fix typoes, format into correct grammar, and generally make the site
literate and reasonably free of errors."
I suggest that, if you have strong opinions in this regard, your voice will
be heard more strongly if you volunteer for one of these positions. You will
also VERY quickly learn how much control Wizards is purportedly exercising:
if every time you put up a page, it is subject to Wizards' veto, your worst
fears are confirmed (and I trust you will inform us). If every time you put
up a page, it is subject to Ryan's veto, your worst fears are strongly
supported (and again, I trust you will inform us). And if you offer to
volunteer and hear a deafening silence (as opposed to a polite rejection
with a reasonable explanation), it could indicate your fears to be
well-founded; or it could simply be an indication that Ryan is one busy
puppy, and has more fires to put out than fire exitinguishers.
Now having recently and publicly whined about my work load, I cannot in good
conscience volunteer for any of these jobs, much as I would love to. I just
know I would do a lousy job of it, given current time constraints. (Well,
maybe I could be an occasional proofreader, since quibbling and nitpicking
come easily to me.) And I hate to commit and then not follow through. But I
would be strongly motivated to make the effort if I personally had any
strong disagreement with the perceived status and direction of the OGF.
And Ryan... I hate to say it, bud, but it may be time for structure in the
OGF: bylaws; membership criteria; and if not a board of directors, then
maybe an editorial review board. How goes the incorporation effort (which
WILL require a board of some sort, I expect)? There would be a lot less
concern if there were visible non-Wizards persons involved. Since WW and
Atlas and a few others have stuck their toes into the OGL waters, maybe you
could line up some board members from other companies. And although I am NOT
part of the "free and open" non-commercial crowd, I recognize their value to
the success of this effort; so I recommend that a strong effort be made to
give them presence, and not just token presence.
God, I hate this. "A committee is the only organism with six or more legs
and no brain." -- RAH. But though you have done nothing to cause me any fear
at all, the fears that have arisen in the community DO cause me fear for the
health of the community as a whole. Those fears need to be addressed
somehow.
Martin L. Shoemaker
Emerald Software, Inc. -- Custom Software and UML Training
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.EmeraldSoftwareInc.com
www.UMLBootCamp.com
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For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
