[Freeciv]

["Chris Lynch" <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Hodge" <shodge@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "freeciv" <freeciv@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2000 11:10 AM
Subject: [Freeciv] Re: it's like a screenplay


> Steve Hodge wrote:
> ...
> 
> One last reference, since we've been talking about AD&D a fair bit in
> this discussion:
> http://www.wizards.com/dnd/DnD_DoD_005.asp
> It's an article from a guy at Wizard of the Coast talking about D20 -
> their plan for an "open source" game system based on AD&D. I quote:
> 
> "Patents are great. They can lock a game mechanic away behind a legal
> wall very effectively. Trademarks are great. They can stop a lot of
> commercial products dead by refusing to allow those terms to be used.
> Copyrights -- eh; not so good. Copyrights cannot protect an idea -- just
> a particular expression of an idea."
> 
> This guy, in the industry, dealing with patent, trademark, and copyright
> issues in his work, presumably with support of his companies legal
> department states exactly what we've said - game mechanics (rules) can
> be patented but not copyrighted.
> 
> Oh, and by the way, guess who owns Wizards of the Coast? Yes, it's
> Hasbro.
> 
> Regards,
> Steve Hodge
> 
> 
>