Open Source Blogging: Feel Free to Steal My Content
I consider that the golden rule requires that if I like a program I must share it with other people who like it. - Richard Stallman
Editor’s note: This post isn’t directly related to the main topics of Zen Habits, so feel free to skip it if you’re not interested.
I get a lot of emails asking me for permission to reprint Zen Habits articles on other blogs, in newsletters, in conferences and in classrooms. I get requests to translate certain posts, or my entire blog, into dozens of languages. I get requests to translate Zen To Done or republish it in another format.
Until now, I granted limited permission, mostly for non-commercial use.
Now, I’m granting full permission to use any of my content on Zen Habits or in my ebook, Zen To Done, in any way you like.
I release my copyright on this content.
From now on, there is no need to email me for permission. Use it however you want! Email it, share it, reprint it with or without credit. Change it around, put in a bunch of swear words and attribute them to me. It’s OK. :)
Credit and payment
While you are under no obligation to do so, I would appreciate it if you give me credit for any work of mine that you use, and ideally, link back to the original. If you feel like spreading a copy of my ebook, I’d appreciate payment. I’d prefer people buy my ebook, but if they want to share with friends, they have every right to do so.
Why I’m releasing copyright
I’m not a big fan of copyright laws anyway, especially as they’re being applied these days by corporations, used to crack down on the little guys so they can continue their large profits.
Copyrights are often touted as protecting the artist, but in most cases the artist gets very little while the corporations make most of the money. I’m trying this experiment to see whether releasing copyright really hurts the creator of the content.
I think, in most cases, the protectionism that is touted by “anti-piracy” campaigns and lawsuits and lobbying actually hurts the artist. Limiting distribution to protect profits isn’t a good thing.
The lack of copyright, and blatant copying by other artists and even businesses, never hurt Leonardo da Vinci when it comes to images such as the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, or the Vitruvian Man. It’s never hurt Shakespeare. I doubt that it’s ever really hurt any artist (although I might just be ignorant here).
And while I’m no da Vinci or Shakespeare, I can’t help but wonder whether copyright hurts me or helps me. If someone feels like sharing my content on their blog, or in any other form for that matter, that seems like a good thing for me. If someone wanted to share my ebook with 100 friends, I don’t see how that hurts me. My work is being spread to many more people than I could do myself. That’s a plus, as I see it.
And if someone wants to take my work and improve upon it, as artists have been doing for centuries, I think that’s a wonderful thing. If they can take my favorite posts and make something funny or inspiring or thought-provoking or even sad … I say more power to them. The creative community only benefits from derivations and inspirations.
This isn’t a new concept, of course, and I’m freely ripping ideas off here. Which is kinda the point.
Counter arguments and all that
There are a number of objects that will likely be brought up to this idea, and while I can’t possibly answer all of them, here are a few of my responses in anticipation:
1. Google rank will go down. My understanding is that Google penalizes pages that have exact duplicates on other sites, when it comes to PageRank. I don’t know how much of a penalty that is. If people duplicate my content (which they already are, even without permission), it’s possible that my PageRank will drop and people will have a harder time finding my content on Google search. If that’s the case, I accept that penalty. I’ve never been one to go for SEO techniques anyway, so this is nothing new to me.
2. You’ll lose ebook revenues. If people buy my ebook and then distribute it to 20 people, and each of those distributes it to 20 more, and those to 20 more … I’ve lost $76,000 in ebook revenues. Perhaps. That’s if you agree with the assumption that all those people would have bought the ebook if it hadn’t been freely distributed. I don’t buy that. In this example, thousands of people are reading my work (and learning about Zen Habits) who wouldn’t have otherwise. That’s good for any content creator.
3. Who knows what people will do with your work? Someone could take my work, turn it into a piece of … baloney … and put my name on it. They could translate it with all kinds of errors. They could … well, they could do just about anything. But that kind of thinking stems from a mind that wants to control content … while I am of the opinion that you can’t control it, and even if you can, it’s not a good thing. What if someone takes my work and turns it into something brilliant, and becomes the next James Joyce? Or more likely, what if they take the work and extend the concepts and make it even more useful, to even more people? Release control, and see what happens. People are wonderful, creative creatures. Let’s see what they can do.
4. You’re making other bloggers look bad. Perhaps, if you want to see things in a negative light. But I’m not doing this as a challenge to other bloggers, or as a comment on their policies. I’m doing it simply to stay in line with my values. And who knows? Maybe others will be inspired by this in some way. Or maybe they won’t. Either way, please don’t judge others based on what I do.
5. What about when you write that print book you’re always talking about? When I get published by a major publisher, I probably won’t be able to release copyright. I accept that as a cost of getting published in print, which is a dream of mine. If I contradict myself, very well … I contradict myself. [Edit: I should have attributed this before, but the last sentence is a paraphrase of Whitman.]
6. What if someone publishes a book with all your content and makes a million dollars off it? I hope they at least give me credit. And my deepest desire is that they give some of that money to a good cause.
7. But … but … they’re stealing from you! You can’t steal what is given freely. I call this sharing, not piracy.
Inspirations: Free Culture, by Lawrence Lessig; and GNU by Richard Stallman
Edit: Just to clarify, this post is an official notification that my writing here at Zen Habits and in the Zen To Done ebook are now in the public domain. I hereby waive all claim of copyright in this work; it may be used or altered in any manner without attribution or notice to the me. Attribution, of course, is appreciated.
If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us or on Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)
- Posted on 7 January 2008 in Aboutzenhabits, Technology |
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Comments (207)
Andrew Flusche Says:
January 7th, 2008, 20:49 pm
Ok, Leo. This is frickin’ awesome!!
I’m a student of copyright law, which I really enjoy studying. I’d love to have an intellectual property law practice, actually.
But as a creator myself, a lot of your points really hit home with me. Maybe this is why Creative Commons has taken root so well. Heck, I love that search feature on Flickr!
Now I’m inspired. I think I’ll change my blog’s copyright license a bit. I might not go quite as free reign as you, but I could surely do a Creative Commons “attribution required” licensed.
You rock!
Christian Holmes Says:
January 7th, 2008, 20:53 pm
You are truly a revolutionary and bright light in the age of blogging. I think this is the best move I’ve seen you make.
And just so you know, because of your views on copyright laws and your content, I am going to PURCHASE your eBook.
You more than deserve it.
Great job Leo at everything you’ve done.
Keep it up!
Mark Dykeman Says:
January 7th, 2008, 20:57 pm
Hello Leo, first time commenting here!
This is an interesting step that you’ve taken with your content. Some current wisdom suggests that this will make your writing even more popular than it is now.
Best of luck!
Putta Says:
January 7th, 2008, 21:01 pm
Wonderful!!! I am not a great fan of copyright laws either, especially the DCMA, which, in my opinion, sees more to big guys’ benefits and profit.
Thanks a lot!!! For me, richness comes in more forms than just having lots of money in bank accounts. You are RICH, man…. Your big heart that spread the spirit of sharing and giving….
Christian Holmes Says:
January 7th, 2008, 21:07 pm
Another thought…any plans on open-sourcing your theme? :-D
Leo Says:
January 7th, 2008, 21:15 pm
Thanks for the wonderful feedback guys … this was a bit of a scary post to write, but I’m glad you liked the idea.
@Christian … first, thanks for buying the book! That’s really nice. Second, I didn’t create the theme and couldn’t possibly open source it … however, if the designer wanted to do it, I’d have no hesitation whatsoever!
Schwuk Says:
January 7th, 2008, 21:23 pm
Leo,
A cool move, but I’m curious: is there any particular reason why you chose Public Domain over one of the Creative Commons licenses?
Ryan Bestford Says:
January 7th, 2008, 21:38 pm
This is exactly why Zen Habits was my most read blog of 2007 and is likely to be my most read blog of 2008!
Definitely buy the ebook as it is brilliant. The love of my life is currently reading her way through it and has become irritatingly more effective at implementing it than me :)
Leo Says:
January 7th, 2008, 21:40 pm
@Schwuk: I actually haven’t given it enough thought, to be honest, but I think it’s just from my gut feeling that even CC licenses, to some extent, are controlling … and at their most fundamental level, they acknowledge the right of governments to control the distribution of ideas, while I don’t necessarily.
I think it’s dangerous to allow governments to control the flow of information (free speech). While I probably won’t be able to change that, I can at least act in accordance with my beliefs.
Sean Kelly Says:
January 7th, 2008, 21:45 pm
Leo,
This is just amazing of you. I think now some of your great work will spread to many more people, and thats a good thing when it comes to self-betterment. I plan on buying this ebook too, but I wish there was a printed version of your stuff. I’d absolutely love that.
Thanks!
~Sean
Brett Legree Says:
January 7th, 2008, 21:51 pm
Leo - well done, once again on the mark and ahead of the pack.
I have a gut feeling that this will pay off far beyond your wildest dreams…
Nathan Bowers Says:
January 7th, 2008, 21:54 pm
Excellent, I bet you’ll have great success with opening up your writing.
I understand the dream of seeing your work in print, but do you really need the validation of a major publisher? Why not publish through lulu.com?
These days anyone who feels they need a record label or book publisher is like a startup that could bootstrap but seeks venture funding “just because”.
37signals’ second book done with lulu and pdf outperformed their first book’s income (published the traditional way) by a factor of 20.
Leo Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:00 pm
@Nathan: Good thoughts … I think at this point, the distribution and marketing advantage of publishing with a major publisher is too great to pass up. It might have worked for 37S, but I’m not so sure it would work for everybody. At this point. However, I think things are heading in that direction.
Greg @ Wise Bread Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:00 pm
Wow, that’s quite a move Leo! I salute you.
In a couple of years, we might look back and see this post as the start of a new revolution. Much like how Stallman changed how we think of software.
Kaose Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:12 pm
I commend you, sir. Thank you for siding with the Open Source movement. I also release my content from copyrights at my blog (although I don’t make any money from my blog).
I’ll be sure to repost part of this article, with a link to your site, for those who want to read the rest. Also, you get the bookmark (something I RARELY do for blogs), stumbleupon thumbs up and review.
Also, just for your site, I will allow your adds through my Ad-Block filter, and click through a few of them (something I have NEVER done).
Once again, thank you. I can only hope more bloggers can follow your lead, and remember that money isn’t everything. In the blogging world, your visitors are.
Warren Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:14 pm
What a great and bold move!
So many are fighting the inevitable copying of materials and you are embracing it full heartedly. I really respect that.
The benefits are great with easier exposure (assuming most will site you).
I don’t really know if you want people attributing your name to profane versions of your work though. Tread lightly, water can be deep and dangerous when it comes to that permission.
Charles Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:21 pm
Great move, Leo. I read your blog fanatically, and I am extremely impressed by this.
I am curious though if you see a decrease in sales of your ebook, or an increase. It’d also be interesting to note whether or not you see more traffic to the site because of this.
Anyway, good luck, and as someone who appreciates the free flow of information, I offer kudos and gratitude.
Nathan Bowers Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:22 pm
Leo, the cool thing is that self publishing is totally doable so you’ll have the option of walking away from a publisher if you can’t cut a good deal.
One thing to watch for is that publishers pay themselves first. Yes, they pay for editors, marketing, book tours, shelf placement and all that, but whose cut do you think that comes out of?
Be sure to talk to people who have experience with both publishing methods so you know what you’re in for.
dian Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:22 pm
Oh yeah
i think this move is not an opensource move, but more of a WTFPL licensing on content :D just kid leo
grorgy Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:27 pm
I think this is a great step Leo. It actually prompted me to go buy your book!
Best of luck
Mark Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:27 pm
Brilliant, common-sense decision. One of my favorite websites, mises.org, has a ton of economics texts (one of my personal geekeries). I know that I’ve bought far more of the items they have the full text for than those they don’t share online.
I also think it will make a good challenge for you–creating works that are so unique, so timely, so powerful that one can’t help but know the source.
Mike Smith Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:27 pm
Awesome. I love this blog, and I love the links you have on your tumblr page, and this just adds to why I love this blog. I’m thinking about creating a book at LuLu with your content so I can have it on my bookshelf. :) If I do, I’ll get a copy and get your mailing address from you and send you a copy of it.
Chris @ GearFire Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:28 pm
This is the last article I read in my RSS reader and what a way to cap off the day.
It’s refreshing to see this in light of scary stories like this.
Tianhong Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:36 pm
You’re awesome. Most of the time, I will credit people for the article I used. Well as much as I would like, is it possible to find a way that won’t affect your pagerank? I think it’d be a win win situation for all.
Frank Gilroy Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:40 pm
Leo I just stood from my desk and bowed to my monitor. It’s people like you and gestures like this that give me hope that we’re not headed towards 1984.
Looking for my credit card to buy your eBook.
Akemi Says:
January 7th, 2008, 22:41 pm
I respect your approach. While I think the protection of intellectual property is important (I even wrote a post on it) and should be respected for those who choose that way, if you are okay to release your right, then so be it.
Akemi
Lance.Hill Says:
January 7th, 2008, 23:12 pm
Great move Leo.
I have enjoyed reading your content so much! More people need to embrace open source rather than clutching to every copyright they can get their hands on.
Tina Su - Think Simple Now Says:
January 7th, 2008, 23:15 pm
Wow Leo!
I was just reading about public domain work the other day with all its rules and how you can find out whether a book written before 1960s still has its copyrights and here you are openly giving it. It’s beautiful to watch.
I wish you tremendous success this year. Who knows what’ll happen. :)
Tina
tabatha Says:
January 7th, 2008, 23:19 pm
i was just thinking how i would like to copy some of this stuff into my opendiary so people could read it b/c most i don’t think the would click the link and come here and check your site out with out some samples but i didn’t do it b/c i didn’t want to steal your stuff, but this is awesome now its not stealing, i plan to give you full credit for anything i take thanks
Marc Says:
January 7th, 2008, 23:30 pm
Great idea Leo! I think your blog will become more read now than ever.
I hope there will be more people following your example by simply doing things for other people and not only looking at how what they do benefits them. We should be sharing more with each other and I am gradually seeing this happening, sometimes in the most subtle ways.
I can see that 2008 will be an awesome year for you and all of your readers. :)
Kate Olson Says:
January 7th, 2008, 23:41 pm
I was JUST going to post about this on my daily post tomorrow, but now I’ll discuss and link back to you or copy and credit (I do still believe wholeheartedly in credit!). Thanks for your profound thoughts, I love that you put it so eloquently.
Mrs. Micah Says:
January 7th, 2008, 23:54 pm
Interesting. I used Creative Commons “By” attribution for my site. I’d like people to link back to me or at least mention where it came from, but I think it practically releases content. Allows people to mess with it and all that.
I just got a copy of your eBook as a contest prize–so while I won’t be reprinting it, I’m glad that I won’t have to worry if I post a paragraph or two. Thanks.
Kelly Rigby Says:
January 8th, 2008, 0:01 am
Leo
You never cease to impress me. A bold and truly open hearted move. And I have no doubt that this will only grow your blog, your ‘brand’ (I hate using that word, but it seems appropriate here) and your future as a writer. What you give out, you get back and today you gave out sunshine.
Hugs to you.
Kelly
Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:
January 8th, 2008, 0:08 am
This really is an impressive move, especially for someone so successful. My approach to blogging has been somewhat similar. The only reason I started is because I’m passionate about writing and want to get my content out to as many people as possible.
That’s what it’s all about. If I didn’t make a single cent or any recognition whatsoever, it wouldn’t matter. As long as my content is reaching people and making a difference, I’m happy. I’m so glad you feel the same way!
Sapphire Says:
January 8th, 2008, 0:37 am
I was just “Stumbled” to your site. You’ve gained a new reader thanks, in part, to this post of yours. With luck, your exposure in the StumbleUpon network will expand you readership even further, and gain a few who will donate as well. This is what the internet should be about - sharing what we have, what we know, what we’re learning. The IQ quotient of our planet rises each time we do, and that can’t be a bad thing.
Well done, you.
(Now could you please add another way to donate aside from PayPal? LOL)
J.D. Says:
January 8th, 2008, 0:52 am
Rock on, Leo. This is an inspiring move. As you say, it’s also a scary one. I’m not ready to make this sort of leap myself, but I’ll be watching your own experiment closely. Maybe I can do it in the future.
Scott Cheatham Says:
January 8th, 2008, 1:19 am
Leo,
I’ve benefited from your work in my ministry so as I read this, I felt led to do what I had meant to do for several months and but the e-book….Both as a thank you and as a way of supporting your decision. I think this type of “Pyro” marketing will benefit you in ways that only will be seen in the passage of time….
Many thanks!
Scott
Miss Gisele from myBeautyMatch.com Says:
January 8th, 2008, 1:24 am
Leo,
I usually agree with pretty much everything your post, but my friend, as a blogger…I’ve got to tell you that I soooooooooooo don’t agree with this decision of letting go of your copyrights. This whole Zen Habit site is your brainchild and you cannot let people who are not as creative and caring as you take your content. I know you write that you’d like credit…but truly not everyone will be that generous.
Can I say anything to convince you to change your mind?
Gisele (concerned blogger and avid Zen Habit reader!)
David Echols Says:
January 8th, 2008, 1:35 am
Freedom is strangely inspiring isn’t it, Leo?
Ayomide Says:
January 8th, 2008, 1:36 am
Leo, I think you are madly brilliant, and I know you won’t mind me taking a page out of your book, and releasing my content to eh interwebs as well! (See all the puns I made there? Hilarious, right?)
In any case, I actually think releasing your content is going to cut down on plagarism. Being bad isn’t as exciting is you’re allowed to do it!
Leo Says:
January 8th, 2008, 1:49 am
Thanks for all the positive feedback, my friends!
@Miss Gisele: I appreciate your concern, but I really don’t mind if others take my content. What harm does it do to me? I lose nothing. And I have much to gain: if people like it and share it, it spreads my writing to new readers.
And the world could potentially gain even more: great writers and artists have for centuries used the works of others as the basis for new and often more brilliant creations. Consider the works of Walt Disney, who took the Brothers Grimm and applied his own genius to it (to use an example from Lessig’s book). The world would be a much worse place, imo, if the genius of the Grimms of the world were not available to the genius of the Disneys of the world. I’m giving my work to humanity, in hopes that it can be used in more creative ways than I can ever imagine.
And who knows? If my little experiment fails, at least it will be instructive to others. Without failures there can be no successes.
SK Says:
January 8th, 2008, 2:29 am
It is kind of ironic that you quote two people who are not the best ‘public domain’ license supporters - RMS and Lawrence Lessig. I do not want to drag you into a discussion on whether Creative Commons or GNU Free Documentation License is better that public domain but it would be interesting to know why you did not consider either of them.
SK Says:
January 8th, 2008, 2:35 am
Oops, forgot add: Congrats and all the best on this bold move.
Now, who would be the first to send the ZTD ebook for free to me, who is so much in debt to even consider sparing the measly $10 :(
Naa, just kidding, about the free book part!
Naomi Dunford Says:
January 8th, 2008, 3:34 am
@ SK - Since I just bought two copies of the book by accident, you’re welcome to one of mine. :)
Maria Palma Says:
January 8th, 2008, 3:43 am
Leo,
This is an issue that I have been thinking about for some time now. However, what I’ve come to realize is that nothing is really “yours” or “mine” to begin with. Everything comes from Source and we are just the mediums by which these messages and creations travel through.
That said, I do credit the sources by which I get my information and I thank you for sharing your messages. You have been richly rewarded and blessed.
All the best!
Delphine Says:
January 8th, 2008, 3:53 am
Leo,
I have been avidly following your posts since discovering your blog in December - Zen Habits is the only blog on my Google Reader that I always take time to slow down and read in its entirety. Thanks to you, I have managed to become an early riser, start exercising regularly, and get more done in the mornings. ZTD is unquestionably the best system of its kind I’ve tried!
I’ve always been intending - someday - to leave you a comment of thanks for all that your blog has given to me, but this post today has propelled me to finally do it. It’s an amazing thing you are doing and my respect for you has increased thousandfold. You are quite right that releasing copyright has little negative impact on authors - in fact, quite the opposite! It’s the lack of copyright and the widespread free availability of texts that has contributed to the enduring popularity of authors such as Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens, and numerous others. Not only does it make it easier for people to get the books and read them, it also makes it easier for, say, directors to make films of them, or other authors to incorporate those books into their fiction - examples include Jasper Fforde, most notably, and Tom Stoppard’s ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead’. (I am a postgraduate student in English Literature at the moment and this topic, though not my specialty, is of particular interest to me!)
I am convinced you are doing an incredibly enlightened thing here, and I applaud you wholeheartedly. Keep up the brilliant work, Leo.
Kelly Says:
January 8th, 2008, 3:54 am
I was so inspired by your post that I bought your book (and I don’t intend on sharing it either). This is my favorite blog…I never miss a post. Thanks Leo!
Sara Says:
January 8th, 2008, 3:59 am
This is quite the bold move! I applaud you for it, and quite agree. Good luck and I hope no one takes unfair advantage of your generosity. Hopefully it mostly returns to you in positive ways. :)
Ivan - blatternet.ch Says:
January 8th, 2008, 4:02 am
Normally I don’t comment when I’m number >50, because everything is already said. But here I have to thank you, Leo, too! This is incredible and very generous!
amypalko Says:
January 8th, 2008, 4:10 am
Very smart move, Leo. I was lucky enough to see Lessig talk about copyright last October, and I found myself agreeing with much of what he said. You can see a similar talk to the one I saw here.
I do think we’re going to have to think outside the very constricting confines of copyright law, as, not only the technology demands it, but users of that technology also demand it.
Like I said, smart move!
Bamboo Forest Says:
January 8th, 2008, 4:17 am
Interesting move. One of the things I’d worry about, though this is completely in the realm of theory - is that people would begin to view your material with less awe. Only because now, in a sense, it’s not your sole property/commodity anymore, and this may devalue it in the publics eye’s. That is only speculation, I may be totally off point.
Marley Says:
January 8th, 2008, 4:41 am
Sigh….. and not a day goes by lately when the mighty Leo fails to up the stakes in living by his values in such a damn cool way as to make the rest of us mere mortals weep at the beauty of it all :-)
Seriously cool move dude - and one that I believe will reap many rewards for you (some of them may even be financial).
I think there’s an irony here. I’m pretty sure from the little I know of you from your writings that you are a really humble guy, just doing what he thinks is right. However by doing it so well you’re kinda inspiring hero worship from your readers…. {shakes his head and marvels at the oblique sense of humour of this wonderful world}
Leo Says:
January 8th, 2008, 5:03 am
Boy, I really didn’t think I’d get this overwhelming a response from you all, but it’s very gratifying. Thank you all.
@SK: I named RMS and Lessig as inspirations. I didn’t say I agree with them on everything. :) Also, email me about the ebook.
Why didn’t I consider CC or GPL instead of public domain? That’s probably a more involved question than I can get into here in the comments, but briefly: I don’t agree that the government has the right to control the free flow of ideas (freedom of speech) or license a monopoly on ideas or words. Both CC and GPL acknowledge the government’s right to do so. If we grant that right, we give the government too much power. Remember, the government is (in theory) supposed to serve us, the community, the people … and it only has as much power as we give it. I don’t cede power over my ideas to the government, but only to the community at large.
@Sara: Thanks for your kind words, but in clarification, it’s impossible for anyone to take advantage of me here, as I have freely given away my rights — they can seriously do whatever they like! Make a million dollars off my ideas! Give them to friends for free! Print them and share them with schoolchildren! I hope I’m given credit, but there’s no obligation to do so. Do what you like! Seriously.
@Marley: I would prefer not to have any hero worship. :) It’s dangerous … let’s celebrate humanity and ideas, not any one person! But thank you for the flattery.
@Bamboo Forest: The prospect of people viewing my work with less awe is not a negative in my eyes. I hope to inspire (at my best), and most of all, I hope the ideas are passed on or improved or built upon, but I don’t think awe is ever a desirable thing.
LM Says:
January 8th, 2008, 5:12 am
A man of my own heart. Kudos.
Peter Says:
January 8th, 2008, 5:57 am
Great move, Leo. Just a question - wouldn’t it be possible for someone to claim copyright of your work? That could be potential trouble(?) Just asking, not that I want to do it…
Leo Says:
January 8th, 2008, 6:09 am
@Peter: I don’t think so. You can’t claim copyright of something in the public domain … just like you can’t copyright Hamlet. However, you could copyright an interpretation of Hamlet or a derivative work, just as Disney did with his derivations of the Brothers Grimm. That would be just fine with me.
To claim a valid copyright, as I understand it, you have to be able to show that you created it first … something that would be hard to do, as I publish my stuff first, before anyone can copy it. And I have you all as witnesses. :)
Leke Says:
January 8th, 2008, 6:11 am
Just to clarify then, if we find for ZEN TO DONE on any of the torrent tracker sites - we are free to download it?
How about a donation system as well?
Keep us posted on any of the points (1 to 7) you mentioned.
Leo Says:
January 8th, 2008, 6:29 am
@Leke: Yep, it’s public domain.
If you like the ebook, I’d appreciate a payment or donation, but you’re under no obligation to do so. If you want to share it with others, you’re free to do so (and I actually encourage you to) … but I would also appreciate it if you tell your friends to purchase a copy if they like it.
I have faith in humanity. If people like my work, they’ll pay me. It worked well enough for Radiohead. I downloaded their album for $10. It was worth much more to me.
Arman Says:
January 8th, 2008, 6:31 am
Thanks for your wonderful blog Leo - I love and respect your posts. After reading your manifesto, thought to share my random thoughts. I am still thinking about your idea.
Everything has boundaries. Freedom means knowing these boundaries. You don’t put your hand into fire - it has a boundary. Slavery is manifestation of ignorance about boundaries. Your move was to lift off existing boundaries. It is as if fire is saying you can touch me. It will be interesting to know what will happen to touch fire without being hurt. This is awesome experiment. Experiment with fire. Dangerous, exciting, promising, unknown. I am very curious.
Your wish is the expression of love and overwhelming gratitude that you have as a result of your work. Love means freedom. Freedom means order and discipline. Hence, love is discipline. What discipline do you leave by opening the content? Maybe copy-righting sounds controlling and non-loving. But what about copy-discipline or copy-loving?
In essence, your blog is successful because it teaches discipline, hence love. Each and every numbered tip is a small discipline. Giving freedom to those tips is like saying to your (brain-) children to go and live on their own. Are they ready? Highly probable, considering their success so far. Will they need any help from you? They may. We all need help at some point. Can you help them?
André Says:
January 8th, 2008, 6:43 am
This is my first comment here!
It’s guys like you that lead this young generation to a nearly perfect civilization. Where culture is free and creators are respected, even without this never ending laws that incriminates all of our smallest steps towards our thirst for knowledge.
I hope were going this way, and it’s thanks to clear thinking people like you.
I hope nobody takes advantage of your move but your making people think otherwise.
Thank you Leo
Kenneth - Guy From Personal Development Blog Says:
January 8th, 2008, 7:10 am
In order to receive you must first give, I respect you Leo..
Steve Johnston Says:
January 8th, 2008, 7:23 am
There is an old saying that says that a free item has no value. In this case, the saying is completely wrong — unless, of course, you mean that it will become priceless.
The potential of this site has grown right before our eyes — who knows what this material will now achieve!
I respect what you have done completely and without any reservation. Well done.
Daniel Says:
January 8th, 2008, 7:24 am
Fantastic choice, Leo! I’m a brazilian reader of your blog and I feel deeply the need to eliminate copyright and other kinds of control mechanisms from our societies, in general.
And now I’m even more inclined to read and share your thoughts with friends. Stallman and Lessig are great minds, and you are someone who can make a big difference by adopting and promoting their ideas. And you did it! Thank you!
Jen, writer MembershipMillionaire Says:
January 8th, 2008, 7:39 am
It’s not like you’re releasing the copyright on all of the stuff you’ve done. Besides, seeing your work being used in other places or being quoted is one of the greatest forms of flattery, don’t you think? And who was this genius that said that it is important to detach ourselves from our work? I can’t really remember but I understand that being too attached can lead to stagnation. Bad news for bloggers. Or any artist, actually.
Leo Says:
January 8th, 2008, 7:50 am
@Jen: I wish I could release the copyright on everything I’ve written. All the rest has been written for other publications or blogs, and I don’t have the copyright on most of that stuff. Zen Habits and the Zen To Done ebook have been the first time I have complete control over my work, and it’s very liberating to be able to release it to the world.
I agree about detachment from our work, although that’s easier said than done of course. I, for one, put a lot of myself into my work, and it become a deeply personal thing. That said, it is an enlightening experience to at least attempt to detach yourself from something so personal.
Jeff Says:
January 8th, 2008, 7:52 am
A fascinating new development with your e-book! This shows that you’re clearly not one of those of types who is solely focused on making money.
Dominic Says:
January 8th, 2008, 8:22 am
Leo:
I suspect a lot of people are going to appreciate that you’ve done this. I hope it returns dividends that make it worthwhile for you.
Thanks.
Hannes Says:
January 8th, 2008, 8:36 am
Making it Public Domain instead of CC or GPL is fantastic as you allow true freedom(!) by that.
Thanks a lot, I won’t be stealing but it is always good to see openness succeed (which I am sure will happen here).
Wicker Says:
January 8th, 2008, 8:40 am
You’re an inspiration. Shedloads of good will come your way, I’m sure of it :D
Denise Says:
January 8th, 2008, 9:09 am
Leo, you’re the greatest!
Megan Says:
January 8th, 2008, 9:16 am
Fantastic, Leo! Aligning with the universal law of abundance (as opposed to lack, which copyright laws play into), the more you give, the more you get.
I still appreciate you letting me use portions of a post you did a couple months ago for a workshop I hosted. Everyone loved the information, and of course, your name & Web site were featured prominently. I hope some have since become subscribers.
Like many others have said, you’re a light in this world. Keep on!
Megan | It’s All About Joy!
Scott Young Says:
January 8th, 2008, 9:21 am
Fascinating idea Leo!
I think it’s important to make the distinction between going open source because you feel it will help spread your creative efforts and ultimately bring value back to yourself (or the world) and being morally obligated to do so. It’s the right of creators to decide how their works are distributed, so it needs to be a personal choice–not a duty.
I’ll have to see how this will affect your traffic and popularity. It could go up, as your content spreads. It could go down as your work becomes less centralized on ZenHabits.
Cheers,
-Scott
Lyman Reed Says:
January 8th, 2008, 9:29 am
Leo… wow!
I’m really impressed with this move. There isn’t much more that I can say that hasn’t already been said in the previous comments, but I wanted to congratulate you on taking such a bold step.
Aaron Griffin Says:
January 8th, 2008, 9:50 am
It’s probably more beneficial in the long run if, instead of “releasing copyright” you place all your future works under a CC license. Some countries don’t have the notion of “releasing copyright”. The whole PD thing isn’t universal.
deepali Says:
January 8th, 2008, 10:06 am
I once heard a quote attributed to Madonna - to paraphrase, if you tell everyone everything, you have no secrets for anyone to exploit. :)
Becs Says:
January 8th, 2008, 10:17 am
Awesome! Just another reason why I’m impressed with you and your blog. I want to go into intellectual property law on the side of people pulling for less restrictive copyrights, and seeing that there are people out there creating and willing to share their work makes me more confident about how important it is :D
Miss Gisele from myBeautyMatch.com Says:
January 8th, 2008, 11:20 am
Leo,
You will have to let us know how this works out for you.
Perhaps, I might reconsider my position!
Gisele
Terri Holley, The Health and Life Mixing Bowl Says:
January 8th, 2008, 11:24 am
Leo,
The underlying message in this post represents some of your best content. It relates to thinking abundantly and relinquishing ourselves from the scarcity mindset. I lovingly and freely shared my blog’s content and plan to keep doing so. Thanks for making the world a better place with this awesome act of kindness.
jag Says:
January 8th, 2008, 11:24 am
I think it is really cool what you are doing and I think, in the end, you’ll see great benefit from this.
However - even if you say you are waiving your copyright, I don’t think you have waived your copyright legally. Once you write it, you have a copyright in the eyes of the law regardless of what you say or do, correct?
In any case, I appreciate your blog and your forward thinking.
-J
Caron Says:
January 8th, 2008, 11:31 am
*thousands of people are reading my work (and learning about Zen Habits) who wouldn’t have otherwise*
Selfless & inspiring, Leo! :)
*… copyright laws … being applied these days by corporations, used to crack down on the little guys so they can continue their large profits.*
What’s next? Removing ads from the blog?? :P
Eduardo Pegurier Says:
January 8th, 2008, 11:32 am
Leo,
In practice you’re giving your book the same way as your blog. So, you should offer it as a free download in this space.
To me, if this blog also intends to help make money, you’re moving to a model where you either will be:
- sell lectures
- make money from advertisement
Considering everything that is free in the internet, looks like a good move that will get you a larger audience.
Good lucky and congrats
reinkefj Says:
January 8th, 2008, 11:50 am
While I applaud your strategy, may I point out one good use for copyrights?
Thanks for reading on. I have no illusions that my blog is anything more than my personal whine. That being said, I really don’t care when someone “adopts” my content in a good faith effort to point out my flaws, or even make fun of me. What really knots my shorts is when a splogger takes it for the purposes of ad revenue. You can tell the bogus sites. My content will be there with a load of stuff that has no relation to anything. For them I make a special exception to my “who cares” rule.
I assert my copyright with Google if Adsense is in use, Google if it’s sited on Blogger, Wordpress if it’s a free wordpress blog violating the TOS, or even the hosting company of the splog. Usually only takes two emails and I’m finished.
It may be hopeless, since these can be setup, faster than one can find and kill them. But, it’s like taking out the trash. And, it does get the knot out.
:-)
AnneTanne Says:
January 8th, 2008, 12:00 pm
I think this is a wonderfull decision.
People who would like to ’steal’ your content without your permission, they would do that anyway.
But many people, who want to spread the message without stealing, will now feel free to do it. And I’m sure the majority of them will give you the attribution you deserve.
(My blogcontent and my Flickr’ Pictures are all under a CC License, and sometimes I find some of it somewhere on the internet… and always I’m mentioned as the autor - There will always be exceptions, but I do believe people really want to be honest. And by a kind of ‘copyleft’ like I like to call it, it are the honest people who will feel more encouraged to share your content.)
Robert Monteux Says:
January 8th, 2008, 12:11 pm
Leo,
Reading your post first thing this morning raised goosebumps on my arms. What an incredible way to start the day with that kind of energy going out to the universe.
Also, I immediately went and bought the ebook.
Many thanks,
Robert
etavitom Says:
January 8th, 2008, 12:12 pm
very cool! your wisdom will hopefully be seen by many more people… best of luck, brad
Joshua Says:
January 8th, 2008, 12:30 pm
All your blog are belong to us :p Seriously though, classy move and way to move internet communications toward its logical progression
Jacque Harper Says:
January 8th, 2008, 13:32 pm
Although the comments are long, and this will very likely not be read by very many visitors, I must reply in the contrary:
You are ignorant.
“It’s never hurt Shakespeare. I doubt that it’s ever really hurt any artist (although I might just be ignorant here).”
First of all, the references to DaVinci and Shakespeare are fallacious. They lived in SUCH COMPLETELY different times that you simply cannot compare their circumstances to your own.
As for harm done to other artists - the best I can do is assume that by harm you are ignoring lost opportunity cost. Ask any experienced copyright attorney if they can’t give you dozens of examples of musicians who gave up the copyright to their works, only to have a record company make millions of dollars licensing those works.
(Don’t sidestep this by saying “if there were NO copyright, the record companies wouldn’t have made those millions:” those who control the means of production control the profits from those products. (e.g.: records).)
Were those artists “hurt?” No, if you mean their lives continued exactly as if they had never written those million-selling songs. But they didn’t thrive or succeed in the way you’d like to think they did.
Your argument that copyright has been used to abuse artists (”…in most cases the artist gets very little…”) is specious: aggressive business practices hurt artists. Copyright law protects those who hold copyrights.
There is one last idea for you and all other commenters to mull over. The writers of the U.S. Constitution actually established copyright for a reason: to allow those who create creative work to profit from it, in order to *encourage* the creation of such work. Think about how that works: because I can copyright and thereby exclusively profit from my work (for a period of time), it is more likely that I will be willing and economically able to create.
I stipulate that the abuse of copyright is now frequent, and the system needs correction. But to correct is very different from indiscriminately abandoning the system.
Having said all that, I wish you good luck. Certainly you’ve sold a few books today. But please don’t assume that all creative artists share your enthusiasm.
Jacque Harper
Julie Says:
January 8th, 2008, 14:00 pm
Fascinating.
As a content creator, I want to benefit from my work and be protected; and I am careful to quote sources. I do feel, however, that there is some cyber bullying associated the Intellectual Property law and copyright protection. Your decision is a great experiment and should further the discussion of IP in an electronic world.
Katie Says:
January 8th, 2008, 14:02 pm
Leo, I am currently broke but as soon as I get a little bit of extra cash I’m buying the e-book! Also my mother is getting a computer this week and I will recommend your site to her and anyone else I think will enjoy it! Don’t let some of these negative comments get to you for we create alot of our own fears. Its difficult for me to imagine that anyonoe who reads Zen Habits would rip you off. Aren’t we all here to better our selves?
Peace and Love to you. I wish you all the best.
PamN Says:
January 8th, 2008, 14:26 pm
I found you through “Stumble” and this is the first post of yours I read - my lucky day! You are going straight to the top of my blog list.
sunsail Says:
January 8th, 2008, 14:31 pm
@Terri Holley: You so succinctly wrote what I was struggling to put into words. You’re in on the secret too, huh? ;)
Awesome move, Leo. I have a feeling you won’t regret it.
kher Cheng Guan Says:
January 8th, 2008, 14:47 pm
leo, i would have done the same if i have the same amount of readers and subscribers. i’m sure your blog will leap even further in terms of popularity and readership.
Snigel Says:
January 8th, 2008, 14:50 pm
For publishing, have you considered Lulu? It is a non-risk possibility if you want to print something without things getting too complicated. I have seen a lot of material from Lulu and although the quality could have been better, I definitely think it is worth it. You could use it just to get a printed copy for yourself if nothing else.
As for the release of copyright, kudos to you. We need more people to balance the corporations you mention. Hopefully, you will also earn enough goodwill to counter any of the disadvantages you might suffer.
AgentSully Says:
January 8th, 2008, 15:04 pm
What a trailblazing thing to do! It fits in with the minimalist lifestyle you love,