The Solution for the Google Book Settlement
- Obama should call Google up and they arrange for a basic subscription fee that gives access to all digitized books, in and out of copyright. With opt-out option for all rights holders. That basic subscription fee may be around $5 per month. Access to all the books would be without DRM, the rights holders can if they insist opt to use DRM, but by default all books should be without.
- Later Obama and Google should figure out to pay writers though taxes. If everyone pays an average of $5 per month, we would have enough mone not only to pay all writers, bloggers, journalists, there would be enough money right there for paing for all music, movies and TV productions. This would set a whole new opening of the art creation process, removing all the commercial aspects of it. Giving control back to the artist.
- Artists should get paid by popularity and quality of their works. Measures quite simply using server statistics, file playback logs (voluntary last.fm scrobbler like plugins installed everywhere) and using a ratings system (Love/Block, just like Last.fm).
What needs to happen as soon as possible. Google needs to release a kind of Android platform for E-Ink devices. We need a $100 pocketable E-Ink ebook reader hardware available worldwide as soon as possible. With built-in HSDPA, WiFi, 700mhz free wireless broadband. With wacom or other touchscreen technology for easy navigation and for note taking. Including collaborative note taking and commenting for all texts.