>1. If you believe that open is a virtue in itself -- if you believe there >is >some moral obligation to be as open as possible -- then I certainly >understand where you would see this closure as significant.
On an ideological level, I absolutely believe this - but I am practical enough to realize that "being as open as possible" is at odds with a publisher's goal of making money. So this is not my overriding belief. >2. If you believe that open is good because it encourages people to fine >tune and tweak the rules and to verge on the "best" solution for a given >problem -- i.e., if your goal is good, useful rules by whatever means -- >then the name is ALMOST irrelevant to that. You don't need the name to >reuse >a creature, nor to improve upon it. The only relevance I see is that it's >easier for everyone to recognize when the creature is being reused of >improved upon if there is a recognized and accepted name. This is more fundamental to why I want things opened up - that it is easier for everyone to recognize when the creature is being reused. Why? See below. >3. If you believe that open is good because you want people who like the >creature to see that it's in your work and thus look favorably on your >work: >well, SSS may choose to give you that sort of marketing boost (and again, >Clark has made it clear they'll do so pretty generously), but it's hardly >an >obligation. Actually, it's almost in reverse - I don't want people who like the creature to see it's in my work and thus look favorably on my work (I would prefer that it stand on its own merit). I would rather like those who like my work to see the creature in my work and look favorably upon the source (in this case, Clark). So rather than, "they like Clark's stuff, this will predispose them to like my stuff," I am looking for, "they like my stuff, this will predispose them to like Clark's stuff." Perhaps a fine line of difference, but hopefully you see the point. The "they like mine, they'll like Clark's" is the #1 reason for me. Using a recognized and accepted name is the means to that goal. And of course, as a matter of general principle, I think the more open stuff, the better, but realism sublimates that to "they like mine, they'll like Clark's." --The Sigil P.S. - Please read through all 6 of my posts before replying. Thanks. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp _______________________________________________ Ogf-l mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.opengamingfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/ogf-l
