> I think something of vital importance is WHY the OGF exists and more
> specifically the d20 SRD (which is what most of the discussion REALLY is
> about) exists at all.
The OGF exists because way back in '99 when I started doing research on the
business model and ethical framework of Free Software it seemed appropriate
to set up an analog to the Free Software Foundation.
The OGF will eventually serve a larger purpose than it does now. There is a
bit of chicken and egg effect here - until Open Gaming has some kind of
voice and visibility, the OGF is a meaningless entity. However, in order to
shape the Open Game business model and ethical framework, some kind of
neutral arbiter is needed to provide a foundation for the dialog. The OGF
is that neutral arbiter.
The SRD exists so that it is 100% crystal clear and unambiguous what parts
of D&D are Open Game Content. Anything else would just lead to endless
loophole hunts and confusion.
> But what this all means is that there is NO GOOD FINANCIAL REASON to
freely
> offer up your creative materials as "open" if you have any hope of making
> money.
Well of course there is.
If you "offer up your creative materials" and sell more of them than you
would have if you didn't "offer them up", then there's a GOOD FINANCIAL
REASON to do so.
> What it REALLY is, is a chance for people to make money
> doing what they love.
The framework of the Open Game License also resolves the central conundrum
at the heart of the RPG business: How can you sell someone a toolbox that
they are expected to use to create content, but then expect to enforce a
restriction on the distribution of that content?
It also resolves the ethical issue of publishers challenging those people
who want to take commercial content created by a publisher, make
modifications to it, then claim some sort of exclusive copyright to the
result. Example: The 'net is >FULL< of documents and sites where people
who had no problems whatsoever using content from various D&D books as the
basis for their work attempt to assert a draconian re-distribution authority
for the derivative work.
> Frankly the name itself ("Open Gaming") is pretty funny since the only
> thing Open about it is that everyone is Open to give the other guy
> credit.
It is Open because all copyright holders who are a party to the license give
the public a free, nonexclusive, worldwide license to copy, modify and
distribute their copyrighted materials.
Ryan
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