B5 sims

 Posted on 8/20/1997 by J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com> to CIS


{original post had no questions}

No, it's WB's position that sims constitute copyright
infringement.

jms



B5 sims

 Posted on 8/21/1997 by J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com> to CIS


{original post had no questions}

Since the copyright rules are made by Congress, no, I'd imagine
not.

"Whenever a copyright law is to be made or changed, the idiots
assemble."

"One thing is impossible for god: to make sense of any
copyright rule in any country in the world"

(both from Mark Twain)

jms



B5 sims

 Posted on 8/22/1997 by J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com> to CIS


JOEL ARAUJO <76016.122@compuserve.com> asks:
> It is not a against copyrights to post everything and anything
> about the series on any given website but it is totally agaisnt
> copyrights to host a sim? WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?

Because posting material already existant about a show is one
thing (and WB requires that the proper copyright be appended to all
such web sites in any event). A different situation is a sim, which
*uses* copyrighted characters and situations, creating a *game* which
is not licensed, which also results in *story material* that also
infringes on the copyright and could create further complications.

jms



B5 sims

 Posted on 8/23/1997 by J. Michael Straczynski <71016.1644@compuserve.com> to CIS


Tom Knudsen <72347.1626@compuserve.com> asks:
> What about hosting an RPG using a website AND using the properly
> licensed RPG The Babylon Project? Wouldn't that be seen as a
> proper use of the game? Or, does the fact that it's on the Web
> mean you're publishing a new story?

"What about hosting an RPG using a website AND using the properly
licensed RPG The Babylon Project? Wouldn't that be seen as a proper
use of the game?"

My guess is that yes, that would be kosher...but then, I ain't a
lawyer and am basically pulling that answer out of my butt....

jms