Re: [Open_Gaming] [Plonk]

[Margaret Vining]

<rant>   You are giving the opinions of this list a lot more authority than it has.  It's an easy mistake to make.  Most of the posters are well spoken, intelligent, assertive, experienced, and passionate.  The OGF has a vague structure so when you are new it's easy to get caught up in the opinions of the loudest speakers.  However, you should listen to everyone and _use_ the advice that makes _sense_ .  Sometimes it is not the advice you want to hear, but why are you on this list if not to learn!?!  Your use of the OGL has nothing to do with the people on these lists.... until you make a mistake, of course.    The OGL is a license on a web site.  If what it says fits your needs and your desires then use it.  If you decide not to get the advice of an attorney and screw up... you then become everyone's problem.  That is true today and it will be true 50 years from now.  All of us are working our asses off to make our dreams come true through the d20srd and the OGL.  Most of us have a great deal at stake.  I know I do.  Perhaps I don't speak for everyone, but if someone happens screw my organization because they were too "rebellious" to get an attorney you can guarantee that I will make a public example out of them in hopes to prevent it from happening again.  That isn't a threat it's a reality that you don't seem to believe in.  I'm not trying to be unkind.  I'm trying to save your ass.    I understand why people are reluctant to view the OGL as "serious business".  I can't even begin to tell you the change in perspective I have had to go through in order to get as far as I am.  I felt betrayed and took it personally when I realized that my fangirl dreams were not to be the concern of this mighty endeavor.  Read the archives and you will hear me singing your song.  The difference between you and me, however, is that I listened to the advice I got and one day, very soon, a lot sooner than the people who leave this list in a huff, I will see my dreams come true.   I didn't like a _lot_ of things about the OGF, WotC, Ryan Dancey, ogf-d20-l, ogf-l, the d20 SRD, the OGL, lawyers, the gaming industry, and business in general....blah, blah, blah.  To some degree I am still unhappy about a lot of things, but I decided to quit bitching and focus on the only thing that mattered:  Can these things be useful to my goals?  I wanted the answer to be "no" so I could also leave in a huff, but unfortunately it wasn't.  The truth is this:  no one will miss me if I leave and the only thing I gain by giving up is the death of a dream.     These people, your so called "enemies", can help you even if they don't intend to.  I don't even know why I have bothered to write this.  The odds of you listening to me are slim, but I wanted to try.  I think it is because I see a lot of me in the new people and I want to tell them not to give up.   This is sort of like telling the old me that it was/is worth the struggle.   </rant>   : ), Maggie         ----- Original Message ----- From: Utter, David Sent: Monday, April 02, 2001 2:16 PM To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Subject: RE: [Open_Gaming] [Plonk] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] >Given the response that I have received to my e-mail, I've decided that the goals and aims of the OGF and the OGL are contrary to my goals and aims as an RPG publisher, no matter how small or obscure.  While I appreciate all of the time folks here have taken to respond, I've decided that this particular movement in the industry is not for me. I have to agree with Brian here. There's a lot of really nifty potential for OGF/OGL, but I've some 80+ list messages in my box and they all seem to either suggest that the potential writer wrestle with intellectual property law or get a lawyer to do so because Horrible Things will be done unto a humble writer who runs afoul of the License. Perhaps in a few years the OGL will grow into a more mature and palatable option for designers. Right now the threats seem to greatly outweigh the advantages. Best of luck to the rest of you who soldier forward. Thanks, david ------------- For more information, please link to www.opengamingfoundation.org Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com