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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kigmatzomat" data-source="post: 1824181" data-attributes="member: 9254">IANA d20 author.  I do, however, earn a few thou a year writing for a computer magazine/website.  I've been interacting with the GPL and various copy-lefts for over a decade both writing and using software so I think I have a more developed opinion.OGL is *NOT* for everyone.  There are well over two dozen "open" licenses for software, expect a similar evolution for books.  OGL is similar but not identical to the Creative Commons license which has oddly become popular with a former RIAA chief.  OGL is best for core frameworks that are functional on their own but somehow incomplete.  The SRD is a game system but it is not a full RPG.  There's no flavor, no style.  So you buy style.  A company might GPL a computer game engine but sell all the levels, critters, and story lines.    It's a "free razor, buy the blades" model.     It works for WotC because it means cottage industry will handle most of the low-volume projects and be happy to do it while they can focus on mass-market projects.  The cost of the low-volume projects was deemed greater than lost book sales.  (I do not own a 3.5 PHB/DMB, I use the RSRD.  I do own a 3.5 MM and XPH.  If I did not have access to the RSRD to help back-convert the books to my 3.0 game I would be disinclined to buy them.)The OGL and GPL is pretty much your enemy when it comes to making money on stand-alone products.  Small software utilties and RPG adventures really aren't suited for completely open distribution when you expect to turn a profit.  In those cases OGL a few stylish items that capture the flair and style of your product.  You can then use it as "viral marketing" since it will replicate itself indefinitely.  I'd recommend including a good illustration that includes your logo under d20-esque license ("unaltered may be used with this OGL creature") to ensure you get the credit. The time to OGL/GPL these small products are when you intend to abandon the product *or* when sales drop to dangerously low levels.  Warehousing costs money so past a certain point you just want to move that last crate of books.  You may end up "giving out" the equivalent of 4 crates of books in the process but you sold those books and aren't getting a warehouse bill.   OGL/GPL those out of print books to ensures it remains in the public meme as advertising for other products and create good will.IMO, the folks from Expeditious Retreat are somewhat off the deep end for making their MMS:WE OGC prior to the date their PDF/print sales drop off.  I pray that it doesn't burn them because I thoroughly enjoy MMS:WE and they accepted criticism on another product with good grace.   I suspect they judged the good will generated by the act would be repaid in future sales vs. OGL hemmorage.I have zero sympathy for individuals who OGL materials at this point in time and whinge about the ramifications.  If you did it the first few months, okay, I'll cut you some slack because there are a number of non-obvious results to the OGL.   Now, however, there are several years worth of history to mine.  There is one other reason to OGL a work: poison pill.  Many of us have heard of RPG/software teams develop an idea and then lose it to canny businessmen.   OGL ensures you will have the ability to continue your work even if your company gets stolen beneath you.    Work on OGL-derivatives also blocks the use of "concept contracts" that say someone else owns all your ideas.  Even if they own your idea, they cannot de-OGL the work.  Anyone about to sign such a contract would do well to OGL their pet projects prior to signing.  Sorry for the length.</blockquote>

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