Slashdot Mirror

I ahve a practical solution. It's detailed over at mediAgora
Principles:

* Creators should be credited and rewarded for their work.
* Works can be incorporated into new creative works.
* When they are, all source works should be credited and rewarded.
* Customers should pay a known price.
* Successful promotion of work should be rewarded too.
* Individuals can play multiple roles - Creator, Promoter, Customer
* Prices and sales figures should be open
* Relationships are based on trust and reputation
* Copy protection destroys value

Goals:

* Creators have 3 main goals - getting heard, getting credited and getting paid
* Customers want to find works and pay a fair price
* Creators set the price, customers decide to pay it (or not)
* Promoters have an incentive to promote Works, but not to compete with other promoters for the same work
* Working within the system is more attractive than subverting it

I have a market model that solev this and related issues. It is described in detail at mediAgora

In particualr, the answer to this dilemma is to reward those who promote music in a way that leads to sales by giving them some of the sale price. Details here

Once there is a way to pay the creators, and an incentive to promote sales rather than give away, the agents will emerge.

I have a market model that solev this and related issues. It is described in detail at mediAgora

In particualr, the answer to this dilemma is to reward those who promote music in a way that leads to sales by giving them some of the sale price. Details here

Once there is a way to pay the creators, and an incentive to promote sales rather than give away, the agents will emerge.

Over at mediAgora the details of just such a promotion and payment system are under discussion.

Are there any Open Source projects thinking about DRM? I dont know how it would work but it must be possible.

No, it is impossible. The Church Turing thesis makes it impossible to do software DRM, and even hardware is tough. You can have a Universal Turing Machines, or you can have DRM. Not both.

If you want ideas, check out http://mediagora.com for how to solve this withouth DRM.

I've put detailed proposals for a way to use the net to get musicians and other creative eople paid, and to encourage rather than attack sharing here

I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.

mediAgora defines a fair, workable market model that works with the new realities of digital media, instead of fighting them.

Principles:
* Creators should be credited and rewarded for their work.
* Works can be incorporated into new creative works.
* When they are, all source works should be credited and rewarded.
* Customers should pay a known price.
* Successful promotion of work should be rewarded too.
* Individuals can play multiple roles - Creator, Promoter, Customer
* Prices and sales figures should be open
* Relationships are based on trust and reputation
* Copy protection destroys value

I have described a marketplace for media at mediagora.com. In particular, I propose that anyone can make an edited derivativce work, as long as the customers for it buy the original at full price.

more detaisl here

The problem is not copying, the problem is paying the creators for their work.

Historically, some companies have tried to solve this problem using various techniques (publishing, advances, royalty payments, advertising-supported broadcasting, pledge drives). All of these are predicated on economies of scale for large runs, and high costs of entry for competitors.

When a new technology comes along that changes these economics, it is time to look for a new model to solve the underlying problem, not construct a technical and legislative framework to restore the old barriers.

You start from the wrong premise.

The problem is not copying, the problem is paying the creators for their work.

Historically, some companies have tried to solve this problem using various techniques (publishing, advances, royalty payments, advertising-supported broadcasting, pledge drives). All of these are predicated on economies of scale for large runs, and high costs of entry for competitors.

When a new technology comes along that changes these economics, it is time to look fora new model to solve the underlying problem, not construct a technical and legislative framework to restore the old barriers.

I got fed up with hearing industry types whine about not wanting to come up with a new business model, so I did it for them - mediAgora

mediAgora defines rules for a market in digital media so Creators get credited and paid for their work, and Customers choose to pay a fair price.

Why is this needed? Because the media marketplace is riven by conflict between companies that profit from scarcity of physical goods and access, and those who assume that because works are easy to copy they need not be paid for. In either case, the creators lose out.

mediAgora is GPL-like, as a work sold through it can be incorporated in other works under the same terms - if you use my music as a background to your video, your customers should pay me the price I set for that music, as well as paying you your price for the video. This avoids the endless rights haggling that hinders so many productions.

mediAgora rewards you when you promote a work in a way that leads to a sale. Share new music or movies with your friends, and when they buy their copies, you get a cut. Creators don't see their royalties disappear in unaudited promotion fees - payment is strictly by results.

We all create - free speech and a free market can get us paid.

I've spent the last year thinking about this, and I have come up wiht one that will work. It is calledmediAgora