Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.advocacy From: [jeff p k] at [netcom.com] (Jeff Kesselman) Subject: [COPYRIGHT] What TSR claism ownership off. Date: Fri, 30 Dec 1994 04:24:14 GMT A little while back someone was tryign to argue that TSR was not trying to claim rights on our independantly created materials by playing word games with their Net Policy Statement. I've reprinted their initial missive to the Jove site below, that shows pretty clearly exaclty what they are claiming ownership off. 'Nuff said. Jeff Kessleman [Note: Slacker01 is in my kill file. Failure on my part to respond to any comments he might make about my posts means nothing, as I just plain don't see them.] ------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 Jul 94 17:28:59 -0400 From: [T S RInc] at [aol.com] To: [p--ma--r] at [rigel.cs.pdx.edu] Subject: TSR Copyrighted Material SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR: Your site was recently included in a list of noted FTP sites for DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS and ADVANCED DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS gaming material. You should be aware that DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS and all related marks and properties are copyrighted by TSR, Inc. of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. You should also be aware that any items created without a specific license are infringements of TSR copyrights. Such items include (but are not limited to) any software, net.books, modules, tables, stories, or rules modifications which contain elements from our copyrighted properties, including characters, settings, realm names, noted magic items, spells, elements of the gaming system, such as ARMOR CLASS, HIT DICE, and so forth. To date, TSR has not licensed any of these net publications. On behalf of TSR, Inc. I ask that you examine your public net sites at this time and remove any material which infringes on TSR copyrights. Our intention is to find a way to license these and future creative efforts. In the meantime, remove them from your sites without delay. To clarify reasoning for this request, I recently posted the following policy statement to rec.games.frp.dnd: > As we have begun to explore the online community in depth, we've found many > avid gamers and fans. We're interested in providing you with the best in > gaming products that meet our own standards of quality, as well as suiting > your needs and interests. We know that many gamers develop campaigns and > other materials entirely for their own use. We think this is great! > However, when gamers begin sharing their creations with the public, whether > for profit or not, they are infringing our rights. If we don't make an > earnest attempt to prevent this infringement of our trademarks and > copyrights, our ownership of these extremely valuable assets may be > jeopardized. > > A gamer in this situation has a few options. He can strip every TSR > trademark and all copyright from his creations before putting them in > public > (i.e. "genericize" the adventure). Or he can share his creations with the > public in a way that is licensed and approved by TSR. This is the more > desirable solution, as it protects our rights, and still leaves room for > gamers to share their creative expressions. > > Sometime very soon, we're going to create a place where gamers can legally > upload and share their creations, including modules, stories and software. > At > that time, I'd be happy to work with you to give your product a base to > work > from. We are definitely interested in fostering goodwill among customers, > and we'd like to see our upcoming effort as a pilot project. Eventually, > we > want gamers to be able to turn to TSR in cyberspace as easily as they do in > a > hobby store. Please feel free to contact me with comments or questions. I will refer any pertinent queries to our legal department as soon as I receive them. Rob Repp | InterNet: [t s rinc] at [aol.com] Manager, Digital Projects Group | InterNet: [m--bi--s] at [mercury.mcs.com] TSR, Inc. | CompuServe: 76217,761 __________________________________ | GEnie: TSR.Online AOL: TSR Inc All opinions are my own, not TSR's | 414-248-3625 Fax 414-248-0389