From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Faustus von
Goethe
Sent: Sunday, September 17, 2000 10:12 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Open_Gaming] PROTEST was "Final Text of Approved Open Gaming
License"
<< I am protesting the fact that the OGF website does not clearly state
the purpose of the foundation and the relationship of the license
to the foundation - and that the resulting confusion has not been
actively addressed by the foundation's officers.
IF ANYBODY is curious about WHY I am protesting, or thinks I do not have a
grasp of these issues, PLEASE, before commenting, read the FIRST TWO ENTRIES
of my FAQ, at:
http://www.earth1066.com/D20FAQ.htm#_A.01__
In my opinion, A.01 and A.02 are factually correct. BUT they are directly
contradicted by the OGF website. Since the new page has gone up in August I
have been contacted by more than one "confused and misled" reader, to
"correct" these supposed errors. >>
OK, maybe the following is based on a new version of the FAQ, recently
posted by yourself. If so, my apologies for making points of which you are
already aware.
****************************************************************
>From the FAQ:
"A.01 What is the Open Gaming License?
The Open Gaming License (OGL) is a copyrighted document of Wizards of the
Coast (WotC), incorporated."
>From the OGF web:
"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."
****************************************************************
>From the FAQ:
"WotC has specifically stated that the OGL is a marketing tool that they are
using to increase the sales of their core RPG gaming products."
>From the OGF web: Silence on this issue. No confirmation, no contradiction.
****************************************************************
>From the FAQ:
"The OGL presents a legal framework for distributing portions of a gaming
system and allowing other designers to use, modify, and make additions to
that system, without running afoul of copyright law. The essence of an OGL
is that you can use, modify, and distribute the covered content, but you
must allow others to do the same."
>From the OGF web:
"This means that you could purchase an Open Gaming product, and make
unlimited copies of the Open Gaming material that product contains and give
those copies away free of charge.
"The Open Gaming License also gives you the right to modify any Open Gaming
content to add, subtract, or alter that content as you see fit.
"The Open Gaming License requires you to contribute those modifications back
to the Open Gaming community under exactly the same Open Gaming License,
with no additions or subtractions to the terms of that License
"The Open Gaming License also requires you to provide a copy of the Open
Gaming License to anyone to whom you distribute material covered by that
License."
****************************************************************
>From the FAQ:
"A.02 What is the Open Gaming foundation?
The Open Gaming Foundation is a non-profit organization (pending) that
promotes the development of open games and advocates for the concept of open
gaming in general."
>From the OGF web:
"The Open Gaming Foundation is still in the process of being formed; it has
not yet been incorporated as a legal entity. In the next few months, it will
be incorporated in the state of Washington as a non-profit enterprise, and
it will apply for tax-exempt status from the IRS as a 501(C)(3)
organization.
The Foundation will be the banner-carrier for the Open Gaming movment."
****************************************************************
>From the FAQ:
"The Open Gaming Foundation is the creation of Mr. Ryan Dancey, and as such
has direct ties to Wizards of the Coast."
>From the OGF web:
"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.
Correspondance about the Foundation, this web site, or the Foundation
mailing lists should be directed to: Ryan S. Dancey"
No firm statement of the relationship you describe; but no contradiction,
either.
****************************************************************
>From the FAQ:
"It has been argued on the list that the Open Gaming Foundation is just
another marketing tool. However, since Wizards is the acknowledged market
leader, the Open Gaming Foundation could also be seen as a mechanism for
such a market leader to bring about positive change in the industry."
>From the OGF web:
"Open Gaming means two key things:
"1. Game Rules and materials that use those rules that can be freely copied,
modified and distributed.
"2. A system for ensuring that material contributed to the Open Gaming
community will remain Open and cannot be made Closed once contributed.
"The Foundation has an official position favoring the use of the Open Gaming
License. However, the Foundation will support the distribution of any Open
Gaming project regardless of the license used, provided that the terms of
the project conform to the two definitions listed above."
****************************************************************
Forgive me, but I just do not see that anything in the two FAQ items listed
is "directly
contradicted by the OGF website." If you feel the FAQ points are not made
clearly enough or prominently enough, I can see some validity. An "About the
OGL" page would be good, and the "Foundation" page is a little difficult to
find (at least I think so: micro-font, red on black, looks like an annoying
banner ad which I automatically ignore).
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
