Legal issues - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Legal issues

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Sep 30, 2003 12:43:10 I have several questions concerning the copyrights of some old dark sun material, can you help me address those questions?
#2
gab
Sep 30, 2003 13:11:42 You'll need to be a bit more specific than that.

What exactly do you want to know?

Are you concerned about converting AD&D, ESD material? Wizards had a conversion policy, but I can't find it at the moment on their website. [Edit: Found it: http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/ESDpolicy.rtf ]

Even if things are out of print and no longer supported, Wizards still owns all copyrights to Dark Sun.
#3
zombiegleemax
Sep 30, 2003 13:23:26 ok:

1) am i allowed to download "the will and the way"? i downloaded it once, and i read somewhere that "Wizards" offers it to download to the public. I can't recall whether I download it from "Wizards" site or from somewhere in the web. Am I allowed to use this book?

2) I purchased the 2nd edition of DarkSun campaign setting, and (in addition) I download the 1st edition as PDF - may I use it? It is worth to mention that in the PDF there is a passage that says: "Permission granted to photocopy or print this product for personal use" as shown in the file attached.

3) Can I copy entire "darksun" novels translated to hebrew (since they aren't for sell anymore, otherwise i would have purchase them)?

4) when I pay "SVGames" (who sells old TSR books as pdf) - do I pay for the PDF itself? or for its content? in another words - could I copy those PDF from another man without paying SVGames?
#4
zombiegleemax
Sep 30, 2003 13:55:58
Originally posted by SandChicken
ok:

1) am i allowed to download "the will and the way"? i downloaded it once, and i read somewhere that "Wizards" offers it to download to the public. I can't recall whether I download it from "Wizards" site or from somewhere in the web. Am I allowed to use this book?

2) I purchased the 2nd edition of DarkSun campaign setting, and (in addition) I download the 1st edition as PDF - may I use it? It is worth to mention that in the PDF there is a passage that says: "Permission granted to photocopy or print this product for personal use" as shown in the file attached.

3) Can I copy entire "darksun" novels translated to hebrew (since they aren't for sell anymore, otherwise i would have purchase them)?

4) when I pay "SVGames" (who sells old TSR books as pdf) - do I pay for the PDF itself? or for its content? in another words - could I copy those PDF from another man without paying SVGames?

First the Disclaimer: IANAL

1) Download from where? The only places I know that legally offer downloads are Wizards, SVGames and RPGNow.

2) ??? I don't understand the question, could you rephrase it please.

3) No, you can't break the copyright laws just because a book is out of print.

4) No. I would guess you are paying for the PDF not for the rights to redistribute the product.
#5
gab
Sep 30, 2003 14:09:30 1. The Will and the Way was free, for a short period of time. Then TSR (IIRC) changed their mind, and you had to buy it. Now you have to pay for it.

2. What do you mean by "can I use it"? Can you use it in your games? Of course. You can print out a copy for personal use, just like it says in the file.

3. No, you can't translate novels.

4. You pay for the PDF; not the right to do as you please with the content. Besides; copying from someone else doesn't help Wizards get an accurate view of how much DS content is popular. If they base their idea of how popular DS is with the fans from how much sales they get from the ESDs, then every time someone copies a file (besides being stealing), they're making the numbers less appealing to someone looking to revive DS.
#6
zombiegleemax
Oct 03, 2003 2:03:23 1) i think that i downloaded it when it was available from wizards site. does anyone have an idea how can i check it?

2) I purchased "DarkSun capaign setting expanded and revised" as a Hard copy.
also, i downloaded (via kazaa) PDF of the first edition, but i hadn't paid for it.
in the PDF ther is a passage stating: "Permission granted to photocopy or print this product for personal use". I ask two question:
a) is this passage authentic?
b) if it isn't, am i allowed to use this PDF, because i already have a license to use the DS campaign setting (because i purchased the revised edition)?
#7
jon_oracle_of_athas
Oct 03, 2003 3:10:06 SandChicken, what exactly is it you're planning on doing? It will be a lot easier to answer your questions if you tell us. Get your head out of the sand.

The right to print out or photocopy something for personal use implies a non-public forum, and the assumption is that you have purchased the product, not stolen it (i.e. not paid for it, e.g. by downloading it from Kazaa). When you purchase a .pdf or a hardcover book for that matter, you don't purchase the intellectual property rights to use as you see fit. If you don't know what intellectual property is, do a search on google.

This is not a forum for discussion of copyright laws and lame attempts at circumventing them.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Sep 30, 2003 12:43:10	I have several questions concerning the copyrights of some old dark sun material, can you help me address those questions?
#2 gab Sep 30, 2003 13:11:42	You'll need to be a bit more specific than that. What exactly do you want to know? Are you concerned about converting AD&D, ESD material? Wizards had a conversion policy, but I can't find it at the moment on their website. [Edit: Found it: http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/ESDpolicy.rtf ] Even if things are out of print and no longer supported, Wizards still owns all copyrights to Dark Sun.
#3 zombiegleemax Sep 30, 2003 13:23:26	ok: 1) am i allowed to download "the will and the way"? i downloaded it once, and i read somewhere that "Wizards" offers it to download to the public. I can't recall whether I download it from "Wizards" site or from somewhere in the web. Am I allowed to use this book? 2) I purchased the 2nd edition of DarkSun campaign setting, and (in addition) I download the 1st edition as PDF - may I use it? It is worth to mention that in the PDF there is a passage that says: "Permission granted to photocopy or print this product for personal use" as shown in the file attached. 3) Can I copy entire "darksun" novels translated to hebrew (since they aren't for sell anymore, otherwise i would have purchase them)? 4) when I pay "SVGames" (who sells old TSR books as pdf) - do I pay for the PDF itself? or for its content? in another words - could I copy those PDF from another man without paying SVGames?
#4 zombiegleemax Sep 30, 2003 13:55:58	Originally posted by SandChicken ok: 1) am i allowed to download "the will and the way"? i downloaded it once, and i read somewhere that "Wizards" offers it to download to the public. I can't recall whether I download it from "Wizards" site or from somewhere in the web. Am I allowed to use this book? 2) I purchased the 2nd edition of DarkSun campaign setting, and (in addition) I download the 1st edition as PDF - may I use it? It is worth to mention that in the PDF there is a passage that says: "Permission granted to photocopy or print this product for personal use" as shown in the file attached. 3) Can I copy entire "darksun" novels translated to hebrew (since they aren't for sell anymore, otherwise i would have purchase them)? 4) when I pay "SVGames" (who sells old TSR books as pdf) - do I pay for the PDF itself? or for its content? in another words - could I copy those PDF from another man without paying SVGames? First the Disclaimer: IANAL 1) Download from where? The only places I know that legally offer downloads are Wizards, SVGames and RPGNow. 2) ??? I don't understand the question, could you rephrase it please. 3) No, you can't break the copyright laws just because a book is out of print. 4) No. I would guess you are paying for the PDF not for the rights to redistribute the product.
#5 gab Sep 30, 2003 14:09:30	1. The Will and the Way was free, for a short period of time. Then TSR (IIRC) changed their mind, and you had to buy it. Now you have to pay for it. 2. What do you mean by "can I use it"? Can you use it in your games? Of course. You can print out a copy for personal use, just like it says in the file. 3. No, you can't translate novels. 4. You pay for the PDF; not the right to do as you please with the content. Besides; copying from someone else doesn't help Wizards get an accurate view of how much DS content is popular. If they base their idea of how popular DS is with the fans from how much sales they get from the ESDs, then every time someone copies a file (besides being stealing), they're making the numbers less appealing to someone looking to revive DS.
#6 zombiegleemax Oct 03, 2003 2:03:23	1) i think that i downloaded it when it was available from wizards site. does anyone have an idea how can i check it? 2) I purchased "DarkSun capaign setting expanded and revised" as a Hard copy. also, i downloaded (via kazaa) PDF of the first edition, but i hadn't paid for it. in the PDF ther is a passage stating: "Permission granted to photocopy or print this product for personal use". I ask two question: a) is this passage authentic? b) if it isn't, am i allowed to use this PDF, because i already have a license to use the DS campaign setting (because i purchased the revised edition)?
#7 jon_oracle_of_athas Oct 03, 2003 3:10:06	SandChicken, what exactly is it you're planning on doing? It will be a lot easier to answer your questions if you tell us. Get your head out of the sand. The right to print out or photocopy something for personal use implies a non-public forum, and the assumption is that you have purchased the product, not stolen it (i.e. not paid for it, e.g. by downloading it from Kazaa). When you purchase a .pdf or a hardcover book for that matter, you don't purchase the intellectual property rights to use as you see fit. If you don't know what intellectual property is, do a search on google. This is not a forum for discussion of copyright laws and lame attempts at circumventing them.