> Are you implying that these three pillars will be able to produce anywhere near the current amount of content we produce?
Yes, and better quality content too as it doesn't need to be compromised as much to allow for commercial exploitation in the current model.
But these are also not the only ways to fund content. Patronage in particular does not need to be restricted to singular rich patrons but can be extended to any group of people that decide to come together to make something exist. This does already happen to some extend (e.g. Kickstarter) but is actually hobbled by copyright where the norm is that the creator retains all rights while individual contributors to the funding are restricted in how they are allowed to share the creation they helped realize.
> How in the world where digital copies are effectively free to copy and infinitum would a creator reap any benefits from that network effect?
By having fans willing to pay him to create new content.
Yes, and better quality content too as it doesn't need to be compromised as much to allow for commercial exploitation in the current model.
But these are also not the only ways to fund content. Patronage in particular does not need to be restricted to singular rich patrons but can be extended to any group of people that decide to come together to make something exist. This does already happen to some extend (e.g. Kickstarter) but is actually hobbled by copyright where the norm is that the creator retains all rights while individual contributors to the funding are restricted in how they are allowed to share the creation they helped realize.
> How in the world where digital copies are effectively free to copy and infinitum would a creator reap any benefits from that network effect?
By having fans willing to pay him to create new content.