That’s really the concept of “unlocking the commons” even before it has a name, isn’t it?
It has ads, although those are a very small part of the site and a shrinking part of the revenue. It has members, but very, very little is directed only to them… The site, the tweets, the RSS feed, and everything else the site’s produced or ever will produce is available to everyone whether they’re a member or not.
I call this “unlocking the commons”… Fans support the person and the work. But it’s not a transaction, a fee for service. It’s a contribution that benefits everyone. Free-riders aren’t just welcome; free-riding is the point. This, I think, is key to understanding the psychology of patronage. …
The most economically powerful thing you can do is to buy something for your own enjoyment that also improves the world. This has always been the value proposition of journalism and art. It’s a nonexclusive good that’s best enjoyed nonexclusively.