Re: [WW] Pilots? Pretty please?

[Kent Wayson <kent@wayson.net>]

Just to clarify--I did not write the message attributed to me 
below.  Robbie did.

And I like your spell name.  :)


Kent



At 04:37 PM 3/5/02 -0800, you wrote:
>Kent Wayson wrote:


No, I didn't.  :)





>>>I am in a state or awe at this. So what you are saying is that I write a
>>>game system based on the d20 OGL. Then anyone can photocopy my book, or
>>>scan it (ASCII) and give it to whomsoever they wish *without* paying me
>>>for it and there's nothing I can do about it?
>>>
>>>Bizarre.
>>>
>>>I'm off to set up my scanner.
>>>
>>>ASCII versions of everything ever produced for d20 will be available for
>>>free download from my website shortly. I won't be charging anyone for
>>>it, but fear not, I will mention the OGL at every opportunity.
>
>
>You need to do more than 'mention' it -- you need to keep Section 15 
>correctly updated for each source you copy from.
>
>And be aware that, in a given page, there will be likely be a mix of PI 
>and OGC. PI used within otherwise open content is still protected. Here's 
>a hypothetical example.
>
>"Elminster's Ridiculous Overkill"
>Wiz 9
>Effect:"This spell causes 1000d10 damage to everything on the planet."
>
>In the copyright notice, "Elminster" is declared Product Identity, but it 
>also notes "All spells in this book are Open Gaming Content". What does 
>this mean to you?
>
>It mean's you can scan the spell, but, before you post it under the OGL, 
>you must remove the PI -- the name "Elminster". Change it to "Elmer's 
>Ridiculous Overkill" and off you go! (Note, BTW, that some publisher's 
>wouldn't make "Elminster" PI -- while other publishers would make the 
>entire spell name PI. Tread carefully!)
>
>Now think about doing this for every page. A single error, anywhere, and 
>the entire document is voided. For a web page, this isn't much of a 
>problem, because you have a grace period to correct errors.
>
>Except for one thing. When you publish (and this includes posting to the 
>web) under the OGL, you are making a promise. You are promising you have 
>the rights to use the material you are posting. ANYONE ELSE can reuse your 
>material. If you screwed up, and THEY get into trouble because of it, 
>they'll pass the lawsuit right on to you. Open Content creates a 'web of 
>trust', and it isn't a game. There's real lawyers and real companies and 
>real money involved.
>
>The license is clear. You CAN scan, upload, republish, and otherwise do 
>any damn thing you want with any OGC published under the OGL. But you'd 
>better be certain you're ONLY using open content. It's not as easy as it 
>seems -- many publishers make it as difficult as possible to 'get at' the 
>open content, by mixing a lot of PI in with it.
>
>Now do you see why no one has created such a website? :) Lots of people 
>talked about doing this when the OGL was first created. The actual 
>technical hassles, though, make it much more complex than "scan and post".