|
In this example, the replicator is what's known as a "disruptive technology," ne? If everyone can have one, the economy will go through turmoil to adjust. If only Spandex-Future-Man has one, then he might want to think about how he's going to share the wealth (assuming he can replicate things like apples essentially for free). Perhaps he should also replicate something else the apple guy can sell instead, to make up for the lost income. But if he decides to replicate the replicator, see above about collapsing economies. (Never mind the potential time travel paradox-- you can make him Spandex Man from Another Planet if you like.)
Yes, I think when someone chooses to mess with a local economy they take on a certain responsibility for their actions. Feed the people free apples, and the apple guy's kids starve. But I still don't think the case is parallel to that of ebooks, for this reason: ebooks involve a creative effort. If you duplicate them, you don't get a new ebook, you get the same ebook again. If I get a duplicated apple every day, even though all the apples are the same, I won't be as hungry as before (even though I may get sick of apples). The market value of apples in general will change, but they will still have a value of sorts, because they still have nutritive value. If I get the same ebook duplicated for me every day, I think its value (to me) will drop more quickly than that of the apple, but the market value of new ebooks does not change-- they are still valuable.
Perhaps rapid duplication will reward those who are able to produce new content quickly enough to stay ahead of the reproduction curve. But I think something like embedded advertising is more likely to be a factor. Rather than Mogui having to pay every time he reads a page, some advertiser should have to pay every time Mogui reads a page with their ad on it. (And as with the apples and ebooks that people get tired of after a while, it would be a good idea to have a way to rotate the ads so people have a chance of noticing them.)
Note: I'm not saying I wish my books had ads in them. I'm just noting that this is the most likely prospect I can think of for compensating authors, publishers et al in a world of essentially free digital replication of written content.
|