-----Original Message-----
From: kevin kenan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>I think what Ryan meant is that once a game is released under the OGL,
>the license can't be revoked to render the game closed. Once you open
>the Open box, you can't close it.
>
>What I'm worried about is WotC someday recinding the license so that
>*new* games can't be released under it. If they do recind the license
>then games that had already been released under it would still be open
>and could still use the license as could derivative works. But no one
>could release a new original game and release it under the recinded
>OGL.
"9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish
updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this
License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally
distributed under any version of this License."
Doesn't this section prevent them from doing just that? According to the
license you can always use an authorized version of the OGL no matter what
WotC does with later versions or even if WotC stops supporting it. Once a
version of the OGL has been approved for general use, as OGL v1.0 has been,
doesn't that make it an authorized version, therefore preventing WotC from
barring its use? To me it does.
>Well, in my evangelizing, I've run into people who use the fact that
>WotC owns the license as an argument against the OGL. Since I don't
>see any reason not to turn it over to the foundation, I'm arguing for
>the transfer. Why have an unnecessary weakness?
I don't see it as a weakness. There will always be naysayers to anything
new. They will pick it apart and find the smallest perceived weakness to
justify why it is bad. A lot of people in the gaming community hate WotC
for one reason or another so they will argue against OGL for that reason,
but what would happen if WotC did turn control of the OGL over to the
foundation? Most of these people would find another problem with OGL to use
to argue against it. Perhaps they will site Ryan's position in both WotC and
the OGF as the problem or the focus on the D20 system could make them think
it's useless. Whatever the reason they will still find something to use in
arguing against the license. These arguments are rarely won with words. It
takes time and action to sway such opinions.
Chris
www.IDrankWhat.org
www.coincidental.net
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