Pooled Funds to Buy and Scan Books

[otherworldlymage]

Wizardforums should make a feature or section of the forum where people can pool money to get books and then someone gets a commission for the work of scanning them. It could also be an incentive to upgrade membership.

 

[SkullTraill]

Wizardforums should make a feature or section of the forum where people can pool money to get books and then someone gets a commission for the work of scanning them. It could also be an incentive to upgrade membership.

How are we going to prevent people running away with the money once it's collected?

 

[otherworldlymage]

How are we going to prevent people running away with the money once it's collected?

The only people who could collect it and do this, would have to be you, a moderator or someone else reputable.

 

[SkullTraill]

The only people who could collect it and do this, would have to be you, a moderator or someone else reputable.

It’s a lot of work even to digitally pirate kindle books now with the new DRM and Amazon shenanigans. But could see about doing one book a month.

Scanning will probably be out of the question for time and logistic reasons.

 

[otherworldlymage]

It’s a lot of work even to digitally pirate kindle books now with the new DRM and Amazon shenanigans. But could see about doing one book a month.

Scanning will probably be out of the question for time and logistic reasons.

yeah we're talking about books that are really tough to find, but a lot of people on the forum are looking for them.

Additionally, I think it would be beneficial to introduce a bounty system for book share requests. This would allow users to incentivise others to scan and share specific books by offering a reward.

For example "This book has a $50 reward for anyone who can scan and share it."

 

[Morell]

yeah we're talking about books that are really tough to find, but a lot of people on the forum are looking for them.

Additionally, I think it would be beneficial to introduce a bounty system for book share requests. This would allow users to incentivise others to scan and share specific books by offering a reward.

For example "This book has a $50 reward for anyone who can scan and share it."

It's not worth the trouble.

There are rare books hard to find, but their value is usually only in their rarity rather than in the knowledge inside them. I call them golden bricks in shape of books. Raising in value without being worth that value. There is always another, cheaper, source that will give you same knowledge or possibly even better one. There is enough to gain from that is available for free or cheap. And you can also use the magic to attract some of the specific books if you wish to.

 

[SkullTraill]

Bounty system low key sounds more interesting. Rather than it being a chore for moderators or a risk of scam… that would make it so if someone decides the bounty is worth their time they can share the book FIRST and then get the bounty. Hmmm I’ll have a gand.

 

[Milton]

Group buys aren't safe if done publicly. Perhaps within a small circle of trusted people, maybe - However the purchasing power would be quite weaker.
Transferring the funds whilst preserving the privacy of each member would be a bit of work for those who aren't experienced with XMR.

As for a bounty system of real $ it might place too much responsibility on the mods here (what if someone doesn't pay)
A virtual currency? might work. Dunno.

I think scanning & purchasing a $50 book is easier & faster for 1 individual to do than if a whole group is involved. If the said book cannot afforded by an individual, they probably have bigger problems to worry about.

I'm more likely to spend time on a request if the requester is someone who spent previous effort uploading books in the library, especially exclusives.

 

[otherworldlymage]

Bounty system low key sounds more interesting. Rather than it being a chore for moderators or a risk of scam… that would make it so if someone decides the bounty is worth their time they can share the book FIRST and then get the bounty. Hmmm I’ll have a gand.

I already have problems when traveling and having an larger stockpile of occult books in luggage will not help me with my visas and travels and shipping can be difficult internationally with customs fees. For me and others here who may live in different parts of the world,we would prefer the digital versions.

An example

A new book comes out that is a limited run and i need it. The book is the cost is $100.

I'd be willing to pay $75 bounty for that book if they do the work of scanning it. And I post this as a bounty. And that person can recover some of their costs by sharing the book in digital form.