Re: [libreplanet-discuss] Solving the prisoner's dilemma in crowdfunding

[Aaron Wolf]

On 02/20/2016 02:31 AM, gmail gregor wrote:
> Hi Aaron,
> 
> umm, firstly - i've been following libreplanet discussion group for a
> couple of years. Because i find the problematic it covers interesting
> (obviously). Still, this is my first letter.
> 
> Just quickly went over snowdrift.coop and let me join in thanking you
> for the effort. Also for many posts, here on libreplanet.
> 
> To the point: do you think that the snowdrift platform could be used,
> for buying the rights on all sort of (digitally published/released)
> works, then releasing them under public licences? (Via some mechanics
> say: each donor gets to put one item on the wish list then choose 3
> items (out of the same list) that he/she fancy liberating first.)
> 
> Anyhow, all the best
> sincerely
> g
> 

Thanks Gregor. The term for what you're talking about is "ransom" and it
is highly problematic to *encourage* people to publish non-free anything
with the goal of ransoming it.

More thoughts at:
https://snowdrift.coop/p/snowdrift/w/en/status-quo-floss#ransom-systems

It's not impossible for Snowdrift.coop to expand to cover cases like
that in the long run. However, our focus for now and the foreseeable
future is on better supporting those actors who are already doing the
right thing and releasing their work freely but need more support.

We hope that if we can provide good support for FLO public goods, then
more people will see that it's possible to get by making FLO works and
they'll just choose to do so, and anyway the existing FLO stuff will be
that much better and there will be less need to ransom proprietary
things. Like all types of ransoming, we're happy when the thing is
freed, but we don't want to encourage people to keep hostages in the
first place.