Let me say that I agree with you. I think that reasonable compensation is justified when work is completed. Let's see your quote:

Quite right and for a reason: the contract that exists between employer and employee. That contract is usually implied (in the US anyway) and is one that is backed up by a few labor laws. If I agree to exchange my time for your money, then I expect to be paid when I give up that time and I have the law on my side if you decide not to pay.

So, explain to me, if you would, the nature of the implicit contract between an artist (content creator) and me (the consumer)?

I'll take a stab at it, to satisfy my curiosity. If you record a few songs and spend 200 hours doing it, then what is your motivation? You have never met me. You don't know if I'll even be interested in what you recorded. You (the content creator) are a speculator. You're putting time and money into some work that you reckon will net you a return over time.

Let's look at another example of a speculator: a used car dealer. In the case of a used car dealer, the dealer spends her time and money on a vehicle that might have been acquired at auction. She buys it for a price presumably below retail market value, spends time and/or money repairing it and shining it up and displays it on her lot for sale. She is counting on me (the consumer) to come along and want to exchange my money for that car.

That example is nicely formulated and makes perfect sense to anyone with business experience. Now lets change the scenario to spice it up a bit.

Let's assume that the car dealer buys that car at auction as before and puts all that time and money into prepping that car for sale. Now, enter the new car manufacturers. The manufacturer of that line of cars has decided that they'd like to liquidate their business. They cut their prices. So much so, that now, it is cheaper to just buy a new car directly from this manufacturer rather than buy from the used car dealer. What's to be done about that poor used car dealer who spent her valuable time and money speculating on that used car? She's a victim of the market. Does she sue the car manufacturer? She might, but how will that ever restore her now antiquated business model? Maybe she should sue the buyers that are now buying new cars instead of her used one?

The point of all this is, markets change, consumers change, technology changes and every last one of those factors can wipe out my precious business model. What I don't have the right to do though, is blame anyone else. If I'm a speculator and my speculation goes bust, then its time for me to pack up and move on. Maybe even try again with a new approach.

I don't dislike content creators, but I'm not willing to stand by and allow *any* laws to be created to protect content creators' business model propped up on artificial scarcity. It is time for content creators to pack up and move on. Move on to another way to pay the bills. That doesn't mean stop creating, it means get your money first. If I get burned by employers who agree to pay me for my time and I give them my time and they back out and don't pay me, then I'll probably start demanding pay in advance and I'd be justified in doing it. I see no reason why content creators cannot do the same thing.

I have to agree with the person who said go for classics

Honestly, I've read quite a bit across the spectrum of what's available and while it seems snooty to say, "I prefer the classics," it is a fact for me.

This doesn't preclude modern literature as modern classics are good reads as well. If a piece of literature is considered a classic, it is not because of its age, rather because of the quality of writing. Try Hemingway, Victor Hugo, Joyce, Dostoyevsky, Kafka, Bradbury, Twain, Ayn Rand...

Those are just the authors I've read most recently, so that's not a definitive list by any means.

uh...really?

Wait, what?

How the hell was this modded insightful?

Be gone dry humor, for you not only failed to amuse, but also to inform.

I understand that the project was formed with the developing world in mind, but I think that the concept is worth pursuing in the developed world as well.

The trouble is that all of the concepts that I read about sounded like ideas for a cabana on the beach. While that may work in spots where temps stay moderate year round, the rest of us could never make that work. Also, most of the ideas I read about sounded pretty light on engineering and heavier on design (architecture).

I'd like to see this project expanded into something resembling the next generation of manufactured/modular homes. We're in sore need of reasonably priced structures that are within the realm of an average person's abilities that retain style and form beyond an ugly box.

I agree that the developing world needs cheap ways to house their citizenry, but let's not forget to solve some of the problems that we still face here at home (in the US).

Well, I'd disagree. Just because the comments are negative does not necessarily mean that they're wrong.

I believe the phrase is: "Asked and answered."

You should understand that while you think that you're an indispensable part of the equation, odds are pretty heavily stacked against that notion

Give your employer some credit: they took the risk and they deserve to benefit for that (including the ideas behind the company). However, bear in mind that most employers are not opposed to paying someone more, but you will need to justify it. If you want an equity stake, then tell them why it would benefit them to do that for you. Why should they make a partial owner? Break it down into simple math.

Trust me when I say, this is the best way because this is the way I'd want this proposal presented to me (I own a small biz myself)

Forgive my ignorance (again), but this leads me to wonder whether we just need to invent the equivalent of an optical motor (we obviously being someone smarter than me)?

Why not?

I know I sound like a dolt, but maybe that's the game changing question?

Anyone have any thoughts on why we can't "run our stuff off of THz electricity?"

Just because it is a command line interface does not necessarily elevate it to the heights that I see in these comments. I may not have that small UID to back up these claims, but I participated in that community as well. I recall some of the same types of motivations back then that I still have today (not all honorable).

If we're honest about it, then I think we'd agree that while it was a smaller, more elite group of nerds that ran the digital world back then, it wasn't necessarily better. We just remember it that way...