"yes: "not open" = "product identity"."

Well not really.  Not Open means....not Open.

What is NOT open is copyrightable material, regardless of what label you
place on it.  In the real world there are things that define "product
identity"  These can be things like logos, color schemes, art style, writing
style, advertisements, general content (product X is know for only
discussing things about Y), stuff like that.  That is product
identity....things that define your product when compared to another similar
product.

Defining this as product identity is not and has never been an accurate
label, especially for those of us that started our careers in advertising
and publishing outside the game industry.  I have often wondered why PI is
thrown around so much.  If it isn't open it is simply IP, Intellectual
Property which is a more appropriate and all encompassing term.

In the longer run, it doesn't matter HOW it is closed from use, just that it
is.  If it is NOT open material than it is closed off to YOU and that is all
that really matters.

Here is a perfect example:  We make a D20 European Arms and Armor book.  We
develop or use a set of rules for historically accurate armor and then
publish the book.  The only thing we make GO are the rules and mechanics.
You cannot use the description of the armor OR the artwork.  Yet, the
description of the armor is not necessarily product identity, unless it is
so radically different from another similar book or product.  They are like
anything else out there not GO...copyrighted material.  It certainly
wouldn't "identify" our product.  We simply wanted you to ONLY use the stats
and protect ourselves from someone else just lifting the material to reprint
in a similar product.

Thought I would throw this out since it has been kind of slow the last
week...

Richard Stewart
Sanguine Productions Ltd.

[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.sanguineproductions.com



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