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> So, here's a thought, Mozilla should create a tip jar non-profit organization. Tipping would be something built into Firefox. If you tip someone, it's sent to
by kdbg 7y ago
> So, here's a thought, Mozilla should create a tip jar non-profit organization. Tipping would be something built into Firefox. If you tip someone, it's sent to the non-profit's bank, and connected to the url. Site owners could then register with the non-profit, in manner similar to Google Webmaster tools, that would let them access the tips they've received.
This is kinda what the Basic Attention Token is in the Brave browser.
You can either tip directly/manually, or setup a monthly payment that gets split automatically among the places you most read. It doesn't require the creator already be a member, but rather it holds the funds until they register, or until 90days have passed.
They've also built in some significant privacy features so that no one can determine who/what you're donating to. Though this leads to one of the contentious issues as refunds are not possible, so when the above mentioned 90 days passes without a donation being claimed, the funds go into the "User Growth Pool" which basically means they are given out to new people joining BAT as an incentive to join.
The big controversy though was exactly the issue of not requiring people sign up before they started accepted BAT donations to them. They had a system of showing if a user was 'verified'[0] meaning they were registered to receive the donations, and nothing would be shown if they were not verified.
This led to an issue where Tom Scott commenting that Brave was taking donations on his behalf without his consent. [1]
Imho that was hugely damaging to the potential of BAT and I think really stemmed from people who didn't use BAT and didn't understand the Verified/Unverified aspect of it. They've added a Non-Verified statement and icon now to make it explicit, but the damage has been done.
[0] http://se.ri0.us/2018-12-22-184516548-9adee.png http://se.ri0.us/2018-12-22-184516548-9adee.png
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18734999 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18734999
- JumpCrisscross 7y ago> This is kinda what the Basic Attention Token is in the Brave browser The difference is in OP’s proposal one gets money. Brave sends people its token things.
- lwb 7y agoYou can redeem them for like, 30 cents, so that's something https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/basic-attention-token/ https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/basic-attention-token/
- JumpCrisscross 7y ago> You can redeem them for like, 30 cents, so that's something At costs fixed (e.g. setting up cryptocurrency trading privileges, going through KYC, clearing receiving cryptocurrency proceeds with your bank) and variable (e.g. regulatory, accounting, tax wise, et cetera). To say nothing of volatile, uncertain and likely to get stolen. This is an example of a good idea ruined by shoving cryptocurrencies where they only add marketing value.
- mantenpanther 7y agoNone of the things you mentioned are a real issue if you do a little homework.
- JumpCrisscross 7y ago> None of the things you mentioned are a real issue if you do a little homework They’re costs. Material ones, particularly if one is dealing with micropayments. A simpler solution would have been batching payments with real money. There is counterparty risk, but given we’re talking about micropayments that’s negligible compared to the risks and costs cryptocurrencies brought to the table. Cryptocurrencies don’t deserve to be rejected out of hand. But they don’t need to be unquestioningly choked into otherwise-fine products.
- kdbg 7y agoI think the cryptocurrency was used so that they could make stronger privacy guarantees than they could using a proper currency. That seems like a fair trade-off to me, but it is indeed a trade-off between privacy and usefulness it is one I appreciate though.
- ericflo 7y agoHacker News seems to really hate cryptocurrencies, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Despite whatever properties you don't like about them, those tokens are being used today and have real value. You can close your eyes but the world will keep spinning.
- captn3m0 7y agoAs an Indian Citizen, I can not legally trade in Crypto.
- piyush_soni 7y agoAre you saying it just because you read it in some online article? There is no current law that prevents your to trade in crypto in India. There is news of a proposed bill that might make it illegal in future, but that's about it. We don't know if it will ever see the light of the day...
- captn3m0 7y agoYou're right. I should have clarified (typed on phone). Financial businesses are not allowed to service any entity dealing with crypto currencies. If I'm a publication business, if I start accepting BAT tokens, I lose my ties with my bank. Not really a ideal situation. The circular: https://rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=11243 https://rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=11243
- specialist 7y agoThe Basic Attention Token notion is inscrutable to me. It's like the corporate sponsored charitable giving campaigns. Why would I give WalMart $1 to forward to Children's Hospital when I could just give Children's Hospital $1 directly? BAT is a bad idea done badly by bad people. Given my track record of predicting winners and losers (eg JavaScript), I can only assume BATs will be hugely successful.
- kdbg 7y ago> Why would I give WalMart $1 to forward to Children's Hospital when I could just give Children's Hospital $1 directly? Perhaps you don't want people knowing who you're donating to, and the third party offers that privacy?
- mkr-hn 7y ago>> "Given my track record of predicting winners and losers (eg JavaScript), I can only assume BATs will be hugely successful." They're made by the same person too. That's among the reasons I won't touch it.