Worthy suggestions. Thanks.
>From: "Martin L. Shoemaker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: RE: [Open_Gaming] PROTEST was "Final Text of Approved Open Gaming
>License"
>Date: Sun, 17 Sep 2000 12:58:32 -0400
>
>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
>
>-------------
>For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org
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