On Sat, 05 May 2001, Neal Rogers wrote:
> --- Doug Meerschaert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > D&D and the OGL is just like what would happen if
> > Microsoft released
> > their source code under a open source licence, even
> > one modified like
> > the OGL. Automatically this license would be the
> > most valuable one in
> > the marketplace, not because of its intrinsic
> > values, but because that
> > the most popular and widespread system is now
> > avaliable for derivation
> > under it.
>
> Well there's a flaw in this analogy. Microsoft
> already allows people to build applications for use
> with Windows without entering into a licensing
> agreement with Microsoft. If you want to use their
> logo you have to go through some kind of rigmarole
> with them, but if you're happy without the logo you
> can make your Windoze apps all day long without having
> to ask Microsoft jack or complying with any kind of
> licese. All you're subject to are the standard
> copyright and trademark laws. In the D&D world
> there's this hint of 'lawsuit!' if you do such a
> thing, with the OGL being the umbrella of 'protection'
> against being sued, and the OGL is more restrictive
> than regular copyright and trademark law.
>
Also Microsoft produce a compiler which has a standard library
of code that you may simply copy and paste into your own projects,
modify etc. This allows you to create programs that work with windows.
This is like the SRD it allows us to create products compatible with
the D&D system.
Is this analogy correct or flawed in some way?
Anyway my point is, Mircrosoft do not prevent you from saying your
product is compatable with Windows, in fact if you did not indicate this
requirement then you would be misleading your potential purchasers.
Also mircrosoft do not stop you creating software to supplement existing
windows software, although in some cases there are limits.
I would say this should be like the WotC, they should allow 3rd party
products to indicate compatability but maybe nothing more, this would
surly strengthen peoples reasons to buy WotC products if your product
indicates you must have X, Y, Z to use it?
I understand all the reasons on a commercial sales basis that WotC gave,
although I don't agree with all of them. But saying that I would much prefer
WotC to release things as OGC in the form of an SRD than to simply sue
everyone left right and center for infringment.
I just hope that in the future some sort of compromise will be met that will
allow limited indication of compatability? Although saying that, there are
no products I intend to produce that would require any sort of indication
except for the allowed "Requires Dungeons & Dragons .... " one.
bb.
_______________________________________________
Ogf-l mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/ogf-l
