Copyright question
Matt
As usual my newsfeeder is a little slow so I have a few questions about
this copyright stuff.
According to TSR, do the following violate their copyright:
1. If I create a set of spells/monsters, etc based on their rules and use
it for private use.
2. Creation of a set of spells/monsters, etc based on their rules and post
it publicly on the network.
3. Creation of #1 and mail it out to people who ask.
R.B.
msh...@hertz.njit.edu (Matt) writes:
> Hello:
>
> According to TSR, do the following violate their copyright:
>
> 1. If I create a set of spells/monsters, etc based on their rules and use
> it for private use.
>
> 2. Creation of a set of spells/monsters, etc based on their rules and post
> it publicly on the network.
>
> 3. Creation of #1 and mail it out to people who ask.
>
According to T$R, numbers 2 and 3 above are violations of their
copyrights and leaves you open to legal recourse if they so choose.
Kinda rough, ain't it?
Brian Trosko
: According to TSR, do the following violate their copyright:
: 1. If I create a set of spells/monsters, etc based on their rules and use
: it for private use.
Yes, but they a. can't find out about it and b. most certainly wouldn't
do anything about it.
: 2. Creation of a set of spells/monsters, etc based on their rules and post
: it publicly on the network.
Yes. And they will probably do something about it.
: 3. Creation of #1 and mail it out to people who ask.
Yes. And they will probably do something about it if they find out.
Jason Stephenson
law, this is not necessarily true. It all comes down to what the judge
considers "a derivative work." I doubt, however, that T$R would be able
to win a case where you did not use their settings or characters. If all
you use are their rules, chances are extremely good you'll win the case.
Frankly, I'm not gonna worry about T$R. They can bite me. If the archives
disappear out of paranoia and fear, ok, so what. We can still exchange
through e-mail and if they want to waste their time tracking us all down
and bringing us up on charges, that's their problem.
Look, I'm an editor and I don't like *real* violations of copyright. Most
of the things that T$R claims will violate their copyrights are simply bogus.
They also claim they will lose their copyrights if they don't enforce them;
this simply is not true. I doubt Rob Repp represents T$R, I have seen no
one other than him on the Internet who claims to represent T$R and I have
received no response from tsr...@aol.com about this issue.
T$R can go jump in Lake Geneva for all I care. They lost me as a customer
years ago.
+----------------------------+-----------------------------+
| Jason Stephenson | "Curiouser and curiouser," |
| jjst...@ukcc.uky.edu | said Alice. |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------+
Matt
game and the gaming community from ADnD First Edition and before is now
the property of TSR or TSR can now sue all of these people?
This is what this boils down to?
There must be something wrong here.
What precisely does TSR own?
They do not own the polyhedrons known as Platonic Solids.
They do not have exclusive right to using statistics or random probability.
They can not own words like Paladin , Ranger, Druid, or Cleric.
You know, just before all this started I was asking my gaming group "Why
bother buying a new fantasy game when TSR covers what I need". However
if they are going to stab their creative community in the back, then
I guess I will be forced to abandon them.
Count me in on creation of this new game.
I know that I must have echoed what everyone else said, but I have a slow
newsreader ....
Matt Harelick
Matthew Harelick
>
>Robert
>rba...@gas.uug.arizona.edu
Bryce Harrington
>I doubt Rob Repp represents T$R, I have seen no
>one other than him on the Internet who claims to represent T$R and I have
>received no response from tsr...@aol.com about this issue.
Are you saying that this guy Rob might be a fake? This suggests that
we've perhaps been invaded by those guys from alt.syntax.tactical?
If so, then congrats...
Matt
All I am suggesting is that he is just one person who seems to be operating
the interface to the net. He is said to be with the Digital Products Group
in his .sig. This in fact means to me that he is not a lawyer, a manager,
or a vice president. Perhaps he is concerned with only computer programs.
From what I have seen , this chaos has unfolded in a very short time.
Has anything about this been in Dragon Magazine? Has anyone tried writing
to Dragon Magazine?
The problem with the net is that with thousands of readers and posters,
sheer chaos can hide or explode what is going on.
Has anyone simply asked TSR's permission to keep an archive?
Matthew Harelick
Rob Repp
(Matt) wrote:
For those of you who aren't entirely certain I exist, I'll be on a panel
discussion regarding online services at GEN CON. David Goss, Bruce Nesmith
and I will discuss proposed projects, future plans, and take questions
from the audience. See you there! :)
Rob Repp | InterNet: tsr...@aol.com
Manager, Digital Projects Group | InterNet: mob...@mercury.mcs.com
TSR, Inc. | CompuServe: 76217,761
__________________________________ | GEnie: TSR.Online AOL: TSR Inc
All opinions are my own, not TSR's | 414-248-3625 Fax 414-248-0389
Kendall Bullen
RR> For those of you who aren't entirely certain I exist, I'll be on a
RR> panel discussion regarding online services at GEN CON. David Goss,
RR> Bruce Nesmith and I will discuss proposed projects, future plans, and
RR> take questions from the audience. See you there! :)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
. . . not! Sorry, I can't make it; what little convention-going $$$ I have are
slated for the two cons I do go to and enjoy each year.
Kendall :)