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> A major reason paying for content doesn't work very well yet is that it's not practical to charge small amounts. The cost and hassle of electronic transaction
by mehrdadn 8y ago
> A major reason paying for content doesn't work very well yet is that it's not practical to charge small amounts. The cost and hassle of electronic transactions makes it impractical to charge less than a fairly high subscription rate.
> But within a year the mechanisms will be in place that allow content providers to charge just a cent or a few cents for information. If you decide to visit a page that costs a nickel, you won't be writing a check or getting a bill in the mail for a nickel. You'll just click on what you want, knowing you'll be charged a nickel on an aggregated basis.
To think this practice still isn't widespread 22 years later...!
- anonymous5133 8y agoIt is more possible now to do though thanks to cryptocurrencies. The brave browser in particular has built in micropayments feature. https://brave.com/introducing-brave-payments/ https://brave.com/introducing-brave-payments/
- bernardlunn 8y agoI believe that micropayments is one key revenue plank. But I am highly sceptical that mass switchover to another browser is the way to get there.
- jhwang5 8y agoCryptocurrencies don't solve practically any problem that a MYSQL server can't solve
- vinod1073 8y ago+1
- swift532 8y agoThey're trustless and borderless, and if something like Lightning Network works out, would be a great tool for microtransactions like the ones mentioned here. It'd be much easier to get a bunch of sites to use a decentralized currency than have someone's payment service on a "MySQL server", not to mention that cryptocurrencies have a natural equilibrium for payment fees, while such a service would only be looking to squeeze out as much fees as possible from this theoretical new way of paying for content.
- elvinyung 8y agoI don't think that cryptocurrencies are the future, but I do think that patronage-based crowdfinance platforms (like Patreon) serve as a guide for where we should be heading, culturally.
- rasz 8y ago> charge just a cent or a few cents micro-transactions never were, why charge a cent when you can charge 99!