Copyleft or Copyright
Volume Number: 16
Issue Number: 10
Column Tag: Tools of the Trade
by Stephen Fantl
Into the new paradigm
The world of publishing is about to change in a very dramatic fashion.
Publishers and distributors are about to find that the proverbial cat that s been hiding
in the WWW has just escaped its bag. The form it takes is called the "Free Digital
Library" (FDL).
Free at the FDL does not necessarily mean without cost, it defines free in the sense of
"Freedom". For example, the open software movement gives to humanity their source
code, the code is free as opposed to being an intellectual property right belonging to a
single entity. This means the information is allowed to evolve and be shared for the
benefit of all humanity. This concept of information being the intellectual property of
all humanity can be termed "Copyleft".
The legal mechanism called "copyleft" assures:
• The author will be perpetually acknowledged in any use of her or his
creative Works
• The Works will not become private property
• The Works remain available to inspire and be built upon by other
creative minds
The creators of the FDL have two simple goals:
1. Attract and expand a knowledge base of Free Information;
The people who created the FDL make very clear a few points about the their creation:
1. The project has no owners, stockholders, officers, or managers - only
volunteers, donors, participants, and users.
2. It is "owned" by its users and exists solely in service to them.
3. It provides zero-cost services and "owns" absolutely nothing.
4. It was built, will change, and be operated entirely through volunteered
time and effort, donated services, and financial support (if necessary).
5. It has been scrupulously constructed as a "human experiment" with no
restraints on direction, speed, or content, It will "go" wherever and "carry
whatever Free Information is determined by its users.
Here's how It works. Creators of digital information use the FDL library of links to
place their link to their information, providing the ability to freely self-publish. If
Creators of digital work wish to commercially distribute their product for commercial
compensation then they go through a different process.
The Commercial Distribution and Compensation process is one of the most unique
aspects to what the FDL represents. At first glance the compensation plan looks akin to
a chain letter, the differences being built in authentication, tracking ability, and
verification controls for the distribution process. For example, if someone orders the
offered product and does not pay you or information you ordered from a distributor
does not arrive, then you would report them on the appropriate Peer Review site. If
someone is selling information that is valueless (at least in your opinion) then you can
review their work on the Authors Peer Review page. Since you have many "letters" to
choose from that you might like to distribute, it's up to you to choose what you think is
worthwhile. If you think none of the current Distribution Notices is valuable then
provide your own creative works that can be distributed.
The Distribution Notice offers four articles by four distributor sources. Digitally
self-published information is attached at each of the four levels that are sold for five
dollars each. The author and the article never change positions, only the current
distributors change when a new person chooses to participate because they will put
their name and payment instructions in position one while moving everyone else up
one level. Each work is $5.00 so your total cost to own and redistribute all four
products is a one time $20.00 outlay.
The sources and titles will look something like this when you receive the e-mail
offering the products and your opportunity to become a distributor:
• Source 1 Position 1: Mary x - Article in position 1 title and Author
• Payment details (Paypal account or address)
• Source 2 Position 2: Bobby x - Article in position 2 title and Author
• Payment details (Paypal account or address)
• Source 3 Position 3: Jane x - Article in position 3 title and Author
• Payment details (Paypal account or address)
• Source 4 Position 4: David x - Article in position 4 title and Author
• Payment details (Paypal account or address)
Here is a Hypothetical situation that shows how the process works:
1. Source '1' sends e-mail introducing the copylefted articles for sale and
distribution to you.
2. Upon recognizing the apparent value of the Works offered, you decide to
order all four and send a $5 payment to each Source listed on the notice (the
four authors or distributors through whom the notice has passed).
Additionally, you must reply to Source 1 to request the Delivery Instructions
for the entire set of Works.
3. Upon receiving your e-mail request Source 1 responds to your e-mail
address with the Delivery Instructions for the set of Works (shown as Works
1, 2, 3, and 4). By taking ownership of the set of Works, you have agreed to
make the $5 payments to each of the four Sources (the four Sources listed on
the Notice to which you are responding) in exchange for their efforts in the
creation and distribution of the set of Works.
4. After initiating payment and following the Delivery Instructions, you now
own the four copylefted Works. You resell in the same way in which they came
to you (becoming yourself a new Source 1). By applying the same methodology
in which you received the Works, you e-mail the same Delivery Instructions
you received, in Step 3, to the others who responded to you're Notice.
In a nutshell, by purchasing, thus owning copylefted Works, you have also received
permission to sell them to others in the same manner you purchased them should you
choose to do so. This model when coupled with verification and authenticity controls is
a very effective and equitable tool for remunerating authors and participants who are
interested in making money distributing Free Information. Even if you are not the
author you can purchase a notice from someone like myself, pay a total of twenty
dollars, five paid out to each four distributors, and then you would be returned an
appropriate sum based on your efforts. Look at the math of this logarithmic
distribution system.
Let's assume for our first example that between everyone there is an average of ten
people per person with whom they distribute the information to who will do the same.
• 1st level: your 10 members each pay you and the other three people on
the list $5.00
• ($5 x 10) = $50
• 2nd level: 10 members from each of those 10
• ($5 x 100) = $500
• 3rd level: 10 members from each of those 100
• ($5 x 1,000) = $5,000
• 4th level: 10 members from each of those 1,000
• ($5 x 10,000) = $50,000
Remember that this assumes the people who participate recruit 10 people each.
Consider what happens if they got 20 people to participate! It is common in the MLM
industry for people to have hundreds of participants in their personal networks.
However, because the width of your network is entirely self-determined, lets look at
other network widths of 2 and 6 progressions.
2-person progression: 1st Level = $10 - 2nd Level = $20 - 3rd Level = $40 - 4th
Level = $80 for a total of $150.00
6-person progression: 1st Level = $30 - 2nd Level = $180 - 3rd Level = $1,080 -
4th Level = $6,480 for a total of $7,770
The potential that this type of distribution and compensation package offers is truly
staggering. It is a Win/Win/Win scenario for the Authors, distributors, and even the
public as a whole since knowledge and information are being freely (Copylefted)
circulated. Because the information you can purchase and resell is dipped from the
endless stream of creative input flowing into the Free Digital Library, you can do it all
again with entirely fresh information. That is, you can promote new information to
your first generation Referral Group who originally purchased from you the first time
round; as well as to any additional participants you attract into your organization, and
each of them can repeat exactly the same thing with their respective first generation
Referral Groups.
Do you see the power and potential once you have your first generation? When you get
a new opportunity you will simply hit one button to offer it to everyone who made
money with you previously. If someone you know did not succeed, then buy a notice
from them and send it to your network, the person you bought it from (who didn't
collect much) will now be assured to collect almost as much as you. How much you are
making is up to you. To help with that I have links at the bottom of the page that will
take you to places you can advertise on the Internet for free, follow these links and you
should do phenomenal.
Although the Free Digital Library may be the first to employ this method of controlled
logarithmic marketing, it certainly will not be the last. The site will be active by
August 18, 2000 and will have at least two notices available for distribution.
Implementing these distribution & publishing concept signals the beginning of the end
for competitive publishing and distribution practices. Remember that you can publish
digital art, digital music, software, creative writings, and even digital video through
the FDL and begin to reap the economic benefits of your creative and energetic output.
And why shouldn't you? I welcome your feedback.
If you find this concept interesting, you can visit the FDL at
<http://www.freedigitallibrary.com>, <http://www.freedigitallibrary.net>, or
<http://www.freedigitallibrary.org>,. If you have questions or you would like to
receive the first and most immediately available distribution notice, which is only
sent out by individuals, never by the FDL itself, please e-mail:
<mailto:freedigitalinfo@lycos.com> with the Subject: "Distribute".
Have fun publishing!
______________________________
Stephen Fantl is the Executive Director of S.A.F.E., a sustainable farming and
organic agricultural Non-profit working on sustainable community models. Funding
for the S.A.F.E. project will come from distribution by volunteers of their creative
works through the FDL.