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<blockquote data-quote="S'mon" data-source="post: 1624511" data-attributes="member: 463">Vague UK (English) law analysis:Trademarks - UK law says you can't use another's trademark in the course of trade in such a way as to create confusion in the mind of the customer as to the origin of the goods/services you're providing or (possibly) to reduce the value of the mark by associating it w something unpleasant (dilution).&nbsp; US approach seems similar in theory but in practice there seems to be a general assumption in US business (which some UK publishers abide by, especially if they have US operations) that trademark law simply prevents you using another's trademark _at all_.&nbsp; There have been plenty of non-TSR non-WoTC books &amp; magazines with &quot;Dungeons &amp; Dragons&quot; written on the cover &amp; inside - eg White Dwarf pre-100 is a good example.&nbsp; None that I've seen breached UK trademark law.In UK law there'd be nothing illegal (tortious) about selling eg an RPG scenario with the words &quot;Designed to be compatible with the Dungeons &amp; Dragons Roleplaying Game.&nbsp; Not authorised by Wizards of the Coast, designers of the D&amp;D game.&quot;&nbsp; You couldn't do this _within the OGL_ though since the OGL excludes this, ie WoTC claims (via Contract) rights under the OGL it doesn't possess under UK trade-mark &amp; copyright laws.&nbsp; In return, using the OGL allows a third-party publisher to freely use text from the SRD, which is copyright material WoTC owns.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="S'mon, post: 1624511, member: 463"] Vague UK (English) law analysis: Trademarks - UK law says you can't use another's trademark in the course of trade in such a way as to create confusion in the mind of the customer as to the origin of the goods/services you're providing or (possibly) to reduce the value of the mark by associating it w something unpleasant (dilution). US approach seems similar in theory but in practice there seems to be a general assumption in US business (which some UK publishers abide by, especially if they have US operations) that trademark law simply prevents you using another's trademark _at all_. There have been plenty of non-TSR non-WoTC books & magazines with "Dungeons & Dragons" written on the cover & inside - eg White Dwarf pre-100 is a good example. None that I've seen breached UK trademark law. In UK law there'd be nothing illegal (tortious) about selling eg an RPG scenario with the words "Designed to be compatible with the Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game. Not authorised by Wizards of the Coast, designers of the D&D game." You couldn't do this _within the OGL_ though since the OGL excludes this, ie WoTC claims (via Contract) rights under the OGL it doesn't possess under UK trade-mark & copyright laws. In return, using the OGL allows a third-party publisher to freely use text from the SRD, which is copyright material WoTC owns. [/QUOTE]

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