> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Todd Landrum
> Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 10:00 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: [Ogf-l] RE: Derivative Works
>
> >> My opinion is that if your software uses the "rules" from the SRD to
> >> process user input and generate otuput, your work is derivative of the
> >> SRD.
>
> It does in a limited number of places. I'll have to try to find some
remedy
> for that as well. Looks like I'll be up late tonight studying the OGL and
> banging my head on the wall.

My condolences. But as Ryan has pointed out, there are a lot of night owls
here. So if you're looking for feedback, don't hesitate to post questions
during your late night. I'll bet you'll get lots of opinions -- maybe even a
valid one, now and then.

Here's one opinion (possibly invalid): I think Ryan may be being too
generous with you. His statement of 'if your software uses the "rules" from
the SRD to process user input and generate otuput' sounds pretty much like
the definition of "Interactive Game" from the d20 System Guide. And while
he's right that that would certainly be derivative (AND forbidden if you
wanted to use the d20 STL), I'm not at all convinced that would be the ONLY
way your software could be derivative. If you wrote a simple form which
contained a label and a blank space for every field on the D&D character
sheet that's included in the PHB, that form would seem to me like a
derivative work, even if it never once processed user input and generated
output from that. I just don't see how a point by point listing of the
stats, terms, and values that make up a d20 character can be anything but
derivative of the SRD.

Martin L. Shoemaker

Martin L. Shoemaker Consulting, Software Design and UML Training
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.MartinLShoemaker.com
http://www.UMLBootCamp.com

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