Say you find something nifty on the boards...

[Vaxalon]

Say you find something nifty on the boards.

You want to include it in a D20 document you're writing.

How would you list it in Section 15, given that the posting itself doesn't have a section 15?

 

[Cergorach]

Because it isn't OGC you can't use it as OGC...
You would have to ask the owner's permission to use the content...

 

[Vaxalon]

Let's say you do that, and the poster says, "Sure, go ahead."

Then what?

 

[Cergorach]

I would say that you have the authors permission and if he doesn't reference any other OGC material (which you'll have to put into section 15) you don't have to add this board to section 15 (because you have the direct permission of the author).

 

[jgbrowning]

I would say that you have the authors permission and if he doesn't reference any other OGC material (which you'll have to put into section 15) you don't have to add this board to section 15 (because you have the direct permission of the author).

Yes. Get it in writing.

joe b.

 

[Cergorach]

Yes. Get it in writing.

My first thought as well, but a post on these boards should also be legally binding...
I just hope Morrus keeps good backups ;-)

 

[Dana_Jorgensen]

Now that people think they've finished with the topic...

But what if it was a thread you were contributing to? Should you be considered a joint owner of the material and include it as you see fit, or do you have to suffer the fate of asking all other contributors for permission?

 

[Vaxalon]

I'm thinking that perhaps, there ought to be a board policy that anything posted here is not owned by anyone; that if you post material here (rather than posting a link to where it exists elsehwere) you are publishing it "copyleft".

 

[Mouseferatu]

I'm thinking that perhaps, there ought to be a board policy that anything posted here is not owned by anyone; that if you post material here (rather than posting a link to where it exists elsehwere) you are publishing it "copyleft".

Can't get behind you on that one. That would pretty much kill story hours, "look what happened in my game" posts, and would even discourage people from posting good ideas in case they may want to do something "official" with them later.

Better simply to say that you need permission from the author to use the content of a post, or anything that very blatantly or heavily utilizes the content of said post. It's a bit complex, yes, but far better it remain harder to use someone else's ideas with permission than too easy to do so without.

 

[Crothian]

And give the person a nice big thank you in the creidts!!