Comments on: Radical Move: Paying for Digital Content http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/04/17/radical-move-paying-for-digital-content/ A Canadian Take on the Web Sat, 05 Jul 2008 03:39:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Allen Holman http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/04/17/radical-move-paying-for-digital-content/#comment-55819 Allen Holman Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:39:32 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/?p=3331#comment-55819 One of the things that is interesting in the creation of free things is that it isn't all about the money. Creating something useful that thousands of people use has many other rewards and benefits. Someone adding in a donation to support is often in addition to this. One of the things that is interesting in the creation of free things is that it isn’t all about the money.

Creating something useful that thousands of people use has many other rewards and benefits. Someone adding in a donation to support is often in addition to this.

]]> By: brydon http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/04/17/radical-move-paying-for-digital-content/#comment-55788 brydon Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:45:42 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/?p=3331#comment-55788 Aren't we mixing paid software with donation based software in this thread? Isn't what you did Mark was donate as opposed to pay, which are very distinct models? Listening to a musician play and tossing a toonie in their guitar case is entirely different from buying their cd. One makes you feel generous, the other makes you feel cornered and lacking choice. Clay Shirkey's recent book Here Comes Everybody has some interesting, and very related, thoughts, http://isbn.nu/978-1594201530. He argues that software is priced based on the scarcity of resources related to publishing and distributing. Now that those resources are cheap, or free, things get tricky. It really has nothing to do with the work involved in creating it. Aren’t we mixing paid software with donation based software in this thread? Isn’t what you did Mark was donate as opposed to pay, which are very distinct models? Listening to a musician play and tossing a toonie in their guitar case is entirely different from buying their cd. One makes you feel generous, the other makes you feel cornered and lacking choice.

Clay Shirkey’s recent book Here Comes Everybody has some interesting, and very related, thoughts, http://isbn.nu/978-1594201530. He argues that software is priced based on the scarcity of resources related to publishing and distributing. Now that those resources are cheap, or free, things get tricky. It really has nothing to do with the work involved in creating it.

]]> By: Mark Evans http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/04/17/radical-move-paying-for-digital-content/#comment-55781 Mark Evans Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:55:22 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/?p=3331#comment-55781 Greg, Why would music be treated any different from software or data? For you to consume them, someone had to create them. It comes down to "value" and if you're willing to pay for products/service that you use, like and want to support. After not thinking about it much, I've now realized it's a good thing to perhaps pay someone for a Wordpress plug-in if it's something that makes your blog work better. It may be only a $1 or $2 but you're supporting the person who made it, and maybe that will encourage them to keep improving it. I'm not suggesting we should pay for every online service but the ones we value could be exceptions to the rule. Mark Greg,

Why would music be treated any different from software or data? For you to consume them, someone had to create them. It comes down to “value” and if you’re willing to pay for products/service that you use, like and want to support.

After not thinking about it much, I’ve now realized it’s a good thing to perhaps pay someone for a Wordpress plug-in if it’s something that makes your blog work better. It may be only a $1 or $2 but you’re supporting the person who made it, and maybe that will encourage them to keep improving it.

I’m not suggesting we should pay for every online service but the ones we value could be exceptions to the rule.

Mark

]]> By: Greg Hay http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/04/17/radical-move-paying-for-digital-content/#comment-55780 Greg Hay Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:46:09 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/?p=3331#comment-55780 I'm on the fence about this. While I will pay for things I like and go buy an artist's album to show support after I've heard it (however it was acquired). I don't feel the same about software or data. What if you had to pay Google a subscription to search? Or Wordpress to get new plugins? Would they be successful? Of course not. As a user I'll gladly show support and preach what's good (yes, at one point I mailed 50 bucks to Dallas and prayed to get a game back after playing Doom shareware picked up by my father at a HAM radio show), but I'm not going to pay before I play. No way. Good content and applications are always rewarded. I’m on the fence about this. While I will pay for things I like and go buy an artist’s album to show support after I’ve heard it (however it was acquired). I don’t feel the same about software or data. What if you had to pay Google a subscription to search? Or Wordpress to get new plugins? Would they be successful? Of course not. As a user I’ll gladly show support and preach what’s good (yes, at one point I mailed 50 bucks to Dallas and prayed to get a game back after playing Doom shareware picked up by my father at a HAM radio show), but I’m not going to pay before I play. No way. Good content and applications are always rewarded.

]]> By: Mark Evans http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/04/17/radical-move-paying-for-digital-content/#comment-55761 Mark Evans Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:53:29 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/?p=3331#comment-55761 Allen, You're welcome, although $1 is, relatively speaking, not tremendously generous. :) Keep up the good work! Allen,

You’re welcome, although $1 is, relatively speaking, not tremendously generous.

:)

Keep up the good work!

]]> By: Allen Holman http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/04/17/radical-move-paying-for-digital-content/#comment-55759 Allen Holman Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:50:27 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/?p=3331#comment-55759 Mark - I absolutely appreciate the donation! Whenever I release a new version of Adsense Notifier I am always blown away by the generosity of its users. Thanks again! Mark -

I absolutely appreciate the donation!

Whenever I release a new version of Adsense Notifier I am always blown away by the generosity of its users.

Thanks again!

]]> By: Brad Buset http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/04/17/radical-move-paying-for-digital-content/#comment-55757 Brad Buset Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:34:13 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/?p=3331#comment-55757 Open Source or free software is often my first choice for just about anything, but I recently purchased a license for FastStone Screen Capture. I've been using this product for years, and although it isn't the fanciest on the market, it has all the functionality I need for day to day use. The closer on the deal was that it's a lifetime license, so I needed worry about it again. Long story short, I don't mind paying a small fee for a small but effective tool. Open Source or free software is often my first choice for just about anything, but I recently purchased a license for FastStone Screen Capture. I’ve been using this product for years, and although it isn’t the fanciest on the market, it has all the functionality I need for day to day use. The closer on the deal was that it’s a lifetime license, so I needed worry about it again. Long story short, I don’t mind paying a small fee for a small but effective tool.

]]>