From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Doug
Meerschaert
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 12:35 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Open_Gaming] Non-D20 Reference Documents
<< Yes, that's a Very Good Reason to keep all the unique stuff that you
worry
about and that makes your product your product as PI.
Guess what? That's why PI exists. That's why the "Larger Work" idea
existed. A completley open and free game would *NEVER* make a solid,
consistent profit. No company in the Open Source world that has based its
model on soley making GPL's software is profitable. (Those that cetner on
OS and *are* profitable do so by focusing on what they *can* be certain to
charge for, like Service Plans and documentation.)
No one's ever bought a service plan for an RPG, so there has to be something
else--thus, the OGL had to have the ability for an author to close off the
"private, moneymaking" parts of his work and leave the rest of it open.
I repeat, just to make it clear: PI everything that makes your customers buy
your product. OGC *only* that which is derivitive, that which the OGL
requires, and those things that you are willing to show up on the net for
free, in your competitor's products, and in a thousand other ways that earn
you no money at all. >>
A pretty good analysis, Doug. Realize, though, that you are essentially
advocating "minimalist" OGC from the commercial producers: everything that's
derivative, and everything you think is either valueless or a good freebie
to hook people in. And I think that's a VERY sound business approach, fully
compatible with Open Gaming; but it has been argued that this approach
violates the spirit of Open Gaming. Smart commercial producers who follow
your prescription will be pilloried by some. Witness the complaints Clark
got simply because the NAMES weren't open in the CC.
Martin L. Shoemaker
Emerald Software, Inc. -- Custom Software and UML Training
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.EmeraldSoftwareInc.com
www.UMLBootCamp.com
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