D&D 4th Edition RulesAsk questions about 4th-Edition rules and the like in here. General discussion about 4E or any other game belongs in General RPG Discussion, above.
A lot of people have been pasting articles by WotC wholesale into threads and posts recently. We do understand that there are people with troubles viewing the original articles, but I'm afraid that we need to ask you to stop doing this.
What is OK
It's OK to post a snippet, some intro text or to summarize the contents of an article. As a rule of thumb, I'd keep any copy/pasted text to one paragraph or so.
I and the moderators will be keeping an eye out and removing any such posts from now on (we're not going to go back over old threads and hunt them down). Please don't create extra work for us, and if you see someone doing it, feel free to report the post so that we can get to it!
Thanks for understanding!
__________________
Last edited by Piratecat; 13th May 2008 at 09:21 PM..
This is due to the fact that those articles are supposed to be a perk for only those with DDI accounts, as oppsed to ENWorld staffers being horrible human beings, correct?
Or it could be that people take a long time to change. In a few weeks, it won't be allowed at all. If they just said, "No more." people would continue to do it. By stopping it now, the posts will gradually slow until nobody is doing it.
4E has rituals, use them, they're magic; Want to see the greatest thing you will ever see? then click; You can use “Earth” as a D&D setting; Origins of The Rouse; (look for it) The Rouse responds; (look for it) One can appreciate both old and new D&D.
This is due to the fact that those articles are supposed to be a perk for only those with DDI accounts, as oppsed to ENWorld staffers being horrible human beings, correct?
Actually, US copyright law should be the primary reason. Copying a whole article does not constitute "fair use". Excerpts in review do.
__________________ Bill D
"There's a fine line between a superpower and a chronic medical condition."
- Doctor Impossible
Scooper posts only link, but people are expecting the whole article here. So the scooper needs to copy and paste the whole thing, and then stick it in sblock tags so their post isn't huge.
Now the scooper just needs to put up the link, and that's all that's expected.
Scooper posts only link, but people are expecting the whole article here. So the scooper needs to copy and paste the whole thing, and then stick it in sblock tags so their post isn't huge.
Now the scooper just needs to put up the link, and that's all that's expected.
Assuming, of course, that the link is accessible to us to-be-non-subscribing paeons...
Actually, US copyright law should be the primary reason. Copying a whole article does not constitute "fair use". Excerpts in review do.
This.
Plus, it's not something new -- we don't permit people attaching the whole Order of the Stick comics over here, for example -- and I've been seeing ever since April's increase in WotC previews that people have been just copying the whole preview over here rather than just linking.
__________________ "Conversely, I'm amazed at the number of people queueing up to tell people that don't like 4e that they are wrong. Why can't people just agree to disagree, and get on with actually playing the game?" --Delericho
If there's one dragon, it's a solo monster.
If there's five dragons, they're standard monsters.
If there's a dozen dragons, either most of them are minions or your DM is tired of the campaign.
--Lizard
Assuming, of course, that the link is accessible to us to-be-non-subscribing paeons...
Lanefan
I'm afraid folks will need to subscribe - currently for free - make do with the blurb, or go without. As Henry says, there are both copyright issues and general politeness to consider. We want to do what's both right and reasonable.
__________________ - Piratecat, EN World Admin
Currently editing the 4e War of the Burning Sky adventure path. Support EN Publishing, get excellent modules!
I'm afraid folks will need to subscribe - currently for free - make do with the blurb, or go without. As Henry says, there are both copyright issues and general politeness to consider. We want to do what's both right and reasonable.
It's fair. Subscribing is free, at the moment, so only a very minor inconvenience. In the future, however, people will just have to decide if the articles (among other things) are worth the fee and go from there. At least people can still paraphrase, so people will know mostly what's going on.
Assuming, of course, that the link is accessible to us to-be-non-subscribing paeons...
Lanefan
Dude, its FREE!
Just make a garbage email address at hotmail and use it to create an account. It asks you for a minimal amount of info name, email, bday, thats about it. everything else is optional.
Last edited by Sir_Darien; 14th May 2008 at 08:32 PM..
Reason: sp
Just make a garbage email address at hotmail and use it to create an account. It asks you for a minimal amount of info name, email, bday, thats about it. everything else is optional.
He did say "to-be". Obviously it won't always be free, and that's where his concern lies.
Gah, and I thought _I_ had a problem with snark.
__________________ If my post comes off as unnecessarily snarky, it's because I have a disability.
I certainly don't want to imply I'm in favor of copyright violation by my defense of a fellow poster -- I'm against piracy in any form, but I have to wonder at something.
Law has been infamous for being unable to keep up with the advances of the Internet Age. I mean, how many years was it before it was decided that taxes could be applied to internet puchases?
When a company publishes an article on the internet and allows it to be viewed, for free, by anyone who bothers to tack an "authenticate=True" condition on the end of the address, can they really claim they didn't release it into the public domain?
I mean, certainly, crediting the source and not implying it's your own work is called for, but I wonder at the true legality and whether an unscrupulous lawyer (or simply one who has a different value system than my own) might be able to succussfully argue that anything freely posted could be freely distributed.
Something to ponder, anyway.
And, Mercutio01, if any of this is addressed in any of the articles you mentioned above, I apologize. I didn't bother wading through the legalese, but I appreciate you posting it for any who are so inclined.
__________________ If my post comes off as unnecessarily snarky, it's because I have a disability.
When a company publishes an article on the internet and allows it to be viewed, for free, by anyone who bothers to tack an "authenticate=True" condition on the end of the address, can they really claim they didn't release it into the public domain?
The same could be said of the AP publishing news stories on the internet then, no? That's just not the case. Releasing something on the internet is actually publication. Technically, if you took my post here and published it in a book and didn't get my permission, I could sue for copyright infringement. And I could probably win. In fact, there was something akin to that in the late 90's, but I can't find the details now. It came down to someone at an online-writing forum who posted a story which was then included in an anthology, correctly attributed to the author, but without his permission.
I certainly don't want to imply I'm in favor of copyright violation by my defense of a fellow poster -- I'm against piracy in any form, but I have to wonder at something.
Law has been infamous for being unable to keep up with the advances of the Internet Age. I mean, how many years was it before it was decided that taxes could be applied to internet puchases?
When a company publishes an article on the internet and allows it to be viewed, for free, by anyone who bothers to tack an "authenticate=True" condition on the end of the address, can they really claim they didn't release it into the public domain?
I mean, certainly, crediting the source and not implying it's your own work is called for, but I wonder at the true legality and whether an unscrupulous lawyer (or simply one who has a different value system than my own) might be able to succussfully argue that anything freely posted could be freely distributed.
Something to ponder, anyway.
And, Mercutio01, if any of this is addressed in any of the articles you mentioned above, I apologize. I didn't bother wading through the legalese, but I appreciate you posting it for any who are so inclined.
Well, legalese aside, we regard this as a basic courtesy thing.
4E has rituals, use them, they're magic;
Want to see the greatest thing you will ever see? then 
You can use “Earth” as a D&D 
The Rouse 
One can appreciate both old and new D&D.
Linear Mode
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