P.S.: Organic marketing = Doing business over the Internet without advertising (using free content to lure people).

-

How to download Michael Masnick’s short film, “THE ECONOMICS OF ABUNDANCE”:

• Install any video capture software. I recommend Video Download Helper because it is more universal, but Easy YouTube Video Download is good enough. Both software packages are extensions for FireFox. [*]
• Go to the YouTube webpage for the short film “THE ECONOMICS OF ABUNDANCE”.
• Video Download Helper: Select “HQ 22″ in the scrolling list (at the right upper corner of FireFox). Save the high-quality MP4 file to your hard drive. [**]
• Easy YouTube Video Download: Right-click on “HD” (on the right sidebar) to open the link in another tab. Save the high-quality MP4 file to your hard drive.
• Be patient while downloading; it is a big file.
• If the 2 methods described above fail, then use a GreaseMonkey script to download the MP4 file —no HD, alas.
• If you didn’t manage to download the MP4 file from YouTube, you might have gotten the FLV file. (“FLV” is YouTube’s native file system). To convert the FLV files into MP4 files, use MPEG StreamClip.
• DISCLAIMER: You shall be informed that downloading a video goes against YouTube’s terms of service.

-

[*] Here are some other means to download any video to your hard drive:

• If you watched a video within your browser, the file might be stored in your browser cache. Search for it.
• A list of Web-based or PC-based download software packages or services, compiled by the great folks at Mashable.
• The Torrent sites: – OpenBitTorrent – PublicBitTorrent

-

[**] Video Download Helper:

• “HQ 22″ = HD MP4 file
• “HQ 18″ = MP4 file
• “HQ 35″ = FLV file

Nota Bene: If you don’t see “HQ 22″ or “HQ 18″ in the scrolling list of “Video Download Helper”, don’t hesitate to reload the YouTube page; it should work the second time. If this fails, then use “Easy YouTube Video Download”, instead. If this fails too, use the GreaseMonkey script. If this fails too, then download the FLV file, and convert it into an MP4 file.

-

- Translation: Download “THE ECONOMICS OF ABUNDANCE” film = Descargar “THE ECONOMICS OF ABUNDANCE” película = Herunterladen “THE ECONOMICS OF ABUNDANCE” film = Télécharger film “THE ECONOMICS OF ABUNDANCE”

-

Previously:

- AVATAR

- CAPITALISM

- HOME

The Economics Of Abundance – Michael Masnick

Many of the plugin authors I have spoken with throughout the community tell me that very rarely do they ever get a donation let alone a Thank You for releasing their work to the public. Based on the plugin authors feedback, end users demand more features, demand better support, and in the end, have this feeling of entitlement even if the plugin is available without a price tag. The reality is, that for a freely available plugin, you’re not entitled to anything. I don’t know about you, but I certainly would not like to be part of a community that is known as thankless.

On the Internet, the marketing is based on a dual approach:

1. Give something away (e.g., WordPress plugins) to get free publicity that is plain about what exactly is your expertise;
2. Sell something else (at a high price) to a small part of your community or to some business people who are influenced by your community.

Most of the WordPress plugin end-users do participate in e-commerce purchases over the Web. They are used to manipulate payment systems (e.g., PayPal). The tough task is to give them a reason to buy or to give them the envy to recommend you to some business people in need. Just asking for donations does not make it. Do business the Trent Reznor way, folks. Sell T-shirts or mugs with creative WordPress (plugin) art. Or better: Sell WordPress development services.

The WordPress community should quit whining and start building the foundations of a sustainable business platform that will compensate the hard work that the WordPress plugin and theme authors are injecting into the system. One idea would be to have more prominent publicity for the plugin author business on each plugin page. If one WordPress plugin is downloaded 10,000 times a week, that is free access to 10,000 influencers, and I bet at least one of them has a web project (or know one) in need of a good WordPress expert. Do sell this expertise.

Matt, please, help them selling that expertise. There is money to be made here —if only we can do it the right way.

ADDENDUM:

Recommended reading:

- FREE, by Chris Anderson

- TechDirt, by Michael Masnick