d20 MSRD [COMPLETE] WEBSITE

[DanMcS]

And I can forbid people from modifying it.

- no insults please. Plane Sailing

Here is how http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/home.html did it, and mine is now the same:

"Copyright stuff
Right. I've added a copyright notice on the legal page. I hereby give people permission to copy this SRD Compilation and redistribute it as long as the pages are unmodified."

Just because someone else did it, doesn't mean it's correct. You can't do that under the OGL. Additionally, you need to include on there somewhere the OGL with an updated section 15 containing your copyright notice. Your "instructions" and "read_me" files don't fulfill the OGL terms sufficiently.

Nice website, but don't be grumpy if people are trying to help you.

 

[FusionBurner]

Fair enough. my appologies to all.

Now, what is a section 15?

 

[DanMcS]

Fair enough. my appologies to all.

Now, what is a section 15?

The file here titled "Legal Information" is the OGL that applies to the MSRD. You need a copy of that on your site, and update section 15 (the last section of the license) with your own copyright notice, like, "FusionBurner's Html MSRD, Copyright 2006 FusionBurner" at the end. Then you should be fairly legal.

 

[FusionBurner]

http://www.dominion-x.net/msrd_html/msrdlegal.html is what you mean?

I did add "Modern System Reference Document HTML compilation "d20 MSRD [COMPLETE]" Copyright 2006, Robert Allsbrook." to the end just before where it says END OF LICENSE.

Does that qualify?

 

[FusionBurner]

http://www.dominion-x.net/msrd_html/msrdlegal.html is what you mean?

I did add "Modern System Reference Document HTML compilation "d20 MSRD [COMPLETE]" Copyright 2006, Robert Allsbrook." to the end just before where it says END OF LICENSE.

Does that qualify?

The Legal Notice has been in the compilation since I created it on 6.24.2006.

The notice for my work has been there since early this morning.

I hope you all did not simply not see it, or not look for it. The link is in the Main Menu, always has been. Second link from the top, under "Home"..

 

[Treebore]

I think your license is done right, as long as you don't have stuff you included that is your material. Your personal product ID must be identified in the license as well, in the section 15 as well as the copyright notice you have there.

Meaning, yes, you have given copyright notice, but to what? You have to identify the material by page numbers or chapter titles or paragraph, some way that clearly and specifically identifies what is your copyright material. I did not see that in your OGL statement, just that you copyright it on this date and your legal name.

The best recent example I have read of an OGL is the one in Tome of
Horrors III, go to a gaming store and just read through it, especially the section 15, and I think you will see what you need to do, if you have material of your own creation, which it appears to me you do.

 

[kingpaul]

And I can forbid people from modifying it.

Not per the OGL you can't. You're statement

Copyright
I hereby give people permission to copy this SRD Compilation and redistribute it as long as the pages are unmodified.

does not mesh with Section 4 of the license.

 

[FusionBurner]

KingPaul, that is talking about the material itself, not the color schemes and html formatiing of the compilation.

Treebore, the only information on the site that is not part of the msrd is the home page that tells everyone that I created the html, and that they can use it.

Everything else is directly from Wizard's.

You all seem too caught up in this. Take a step back and look at the forest, and not the trees.

 

[FusionBurner]

KingPaul, that is talking about the material itself, not the color schemes and html formatiing of the compilation.

Treebore, the only information on the site that is not part of the msrd is the home page that tells everyone that I created the html, and that they can use it.

Everything else is directly from Wizard's.

You all seem too caught up in this. Take a step back and look at the forest, and not the trees.

Here is a copy of the letter I sent to Wizards of the Coast. Let them decide what's right and what's not.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Greetings,

I translated the .rtf files of the MSRD into .html files. I created a website out of those files.

Since I created the website, is it not proper for me to say that I don't mind anyone using the site on their own, as long as they don't change the formating of the site?

http://www.dominion-x.net/d20-msrd/index.html is the website I created. Notice the copyright and download information I have there, and the addition I put in the Legal Agreement in section 15.

Would you please let me know if I am correct in doing this? I'm not claiming rights on the MSRD, but my website itself.

Regards,

Rob Allsbrook

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[reanjr]

I think your license is done right, as long as you don't have stuff you included that is your material. Your personal product ID must be identified in the license as well, in the section 15 as well as the copyright notice you have there.

Meaning, yes, you have given copyright notice, but to what? You have to identify the material by page numbers or chapter titles or paragraph, some way that clearly and specifically identifies what is your copyright material. I did not see that in your OGL statement, just that you copyright it on this date and your legal name.

The best recent example I have read of an OGL is the one in Tome of
Horrors III, go to a gaming store and just read through it, especially the section 15, and I think you will see what you need to do, if you have material of your own creation, which it appears to me you do.

To clarify what I believe Treebore is saying (and I apologize if I am incorrect, Treebore), is that the content of the Modern SRD as far as the rules and text goes is Copyright Wizards of the Coast and the copying, redistributing, and modifying of that text is covered in the OGL. What you have the right to copyright (and therefore control distribution, copying, and modifying of) is the presentation of that information.

In this case, the HTML markup and any graphics you used for designing the site or anything else that is originally yours should be called out, indicating it is the material to which you are referring in your own copyright notice.

In addition the OGL states:

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

that you MUST call out this information somewhere. Normally this is done in the section just before the license begins (and not placing it here may be construed as not "clearly indicating"). Where it currently states:

All of the rest of the text in this document is Open Game Content as described in Section 1(d) of the License.

you need to somehow clarify that the HTML markup and graphics, etc. are identified as NOT being Open Game Content. I believe (without wanting to peruse the OGL) that you would refer to this material as Product Identity.

I hope this is helpful and serves to clarify how to correctly go about doing what you wish (protecting your efforts).