There's a lot more to this than I think many of you are thinking. This isn't a matter of everyone pitching in the cash and then running to the store. This is a very, very serious legal matter. For example: IF we manage to win the bid, who actually owns it? A single person? A group of people? Everyone who pitched in? I've seen enough drama online over little **** like icons and avatars, imagine the fight over the license itself! Would the person or group lord it over the rest of us? If everyone who dontates owns it, how do they make decisions on what to do with it? Can any of them make such decisions in the first place? What if we fail? What happens to the cash then?
There are so many legal issues here, we'd drown quickly if we don't get these kinds of things answered as soon as possible. Drown in lawsuits. No one deserves that fate (not even Derek Smart).
I purpose that we establish a group of people (small, no more than 10) that will represent all those who donate to the board. These people then need to be legally bound to rules of conduct reguarding a) The use of the license if accquired b) Negotiating limits c) What do do with the cash if the attempt fails.
From there, the group will attempt to negotiate with Interplay to obtain the license. There are going to be lawyers involved, so we'll need at least one, possibly more. Lawyers trained for this kind of **** would be prefered. They will write the contract that binds the group to the rules (which we have to decide on well in advance) and create the agreement anyone who donates must agree to before sending the cash.
From there, we can go after the the license. Our biggest problems right now are time and money. We don't know how much of either we have or need. We certainly need to move fast, but we must move carefully. Cash wise, we need to make sure that we know how we're collecting them and what the rules are for when (if) the cash starts to roll in.
Beyond that, we need to do serious, powerful adverstising. Asking for people to donate to this kind of thing is going to be the worst part, as people rarely want to give up cash, even to a cause that is just. I'm sure, unfortuantly, we can't claim this is all to crush Derek Smart. First because it's legally wrong I'm sure, and secondly because it wouldn't be why we're doing it. If those who donate justify it thusly, that's their own decision, but we likely cannot encourage this thinking.
There's a lot to do, so if we're going to try for this, let's get to it already.
Oh, and Tin Can, I knew it was a joke, but Derek Smart is such an ass he'd threaten to sue you for such a remark. I doubt he would follow through, but he could. Edit it out while you still can.
