In the past two days, I’ve come across four articles about giving away digital content for free. Most are, somewhat understandably, bemoaning the idea. This post quotes Esther Dyson as saying “that the ease with which digital content can be copied and disseminated would eventually force businesses to sell the results of creative activity cheaply, or even give it away. Whatever the product — software, books, music, movies — the cost of creation would have to be recouped indirectly: businesses would have to “distribute intellectual property free in order to sell services and relationships.” It then goes on to describe all the problems – for artists and consumers – that this will cause.
On the other side, is this post from Joe Wikert about his excitement and ideas after reading Adam Engst’s point of view. I love Joe and Adam’s enthusiasm and want to encourage the same in you. They are looking for opportunities to succeed in the midst of changes by introducing new concepts that bring benefits to their customers. Ideas like this will always win. Starbucks is not about coffee, it’s about a “second home.” Disney is about dreams coming true.
All of the negative reminds me of this speech from Other People’s Money where Danny Devito’s character speaks about the mistakes of the buggy whip makers at the dawn of the automobile. Instead of involvement in the biggest opportunity of their lifetimes, they put more effort into creating better buggy whips. Make sure you don’t do the same.
