* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : Polygon's svgames and rpgnow questions Started at 10-27-04 12:12 PM by blackprinceofmuncie Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=329323 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : blackprinceofmuncie Date : 10-27-04 12:12 PM Thread Title : Polygon's svgames and rpgnow questions This thread was started to respond to Polygon's questions on the "Where to find OOP books on the internet" thread. If sites such as svgames and rpgnow "recieved" the pdfs from an outside source, how are they getting away with charging others for them? And if they can distribute them so, how could it be illegal to obtain these far OOP materials for free from ANY source over .pdf? One can't own a copyright of a .pdf of a book which they don't own the copyright of. The dealers svgames and rpgnow received their .pdfs from the copyright holders and publishers of the game products they sell. These sites are acting as distributors for the copyright holders (in the case of OOP D&D products, that would be Wizards of the Coast). Wizards of the Coast still maintains the copyright on these products and profits from the sale of the .pdfs. It's similar to the relationship between print book publishers and bookstores. Barnes & Noble sells books printed by other companies. This does not mean that Barnes & Nobles holds the copyright on all the books they sell. I hope that helps to clarify things. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : Polygon Date : 10-27-04 06:41 PM Ok. The way it was worded didn't sound like the sites got it from WotC. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : rogueattorney Date : 10-28-04 10:50 AM As I understand it, Bastion didn't get the materials for the scans from WotC. Rather they essentially solicited "donations" from the public. WotC just gave their permission and didn't have much to do with it from there (aside from collecting royalties, I'd assume). Last year, WotC ended Bastion's license to create new .pdf's, so no new ones will be created from here on out. (Although the ones previously created will continue to be sold.) I've heard speculation that WotC received too many complaints about the quality of the scans, and that's why they pulled the plug. But I don't have any hard evidence that's the case. A little info can be read here: http://www.bastionpress.com/esd.htm R.A. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 08:16 AM.