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Debate about free idea sites...

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:47 pm
by Keith
Well, I'm not trying to start a flame war... but just a discussion on what this topic is, and the directions many people have taken it. Feedback and discussion is highly encouraged. :D

First I'll start off with our home: The Creativity Pool ... a penny jar of ideas that operates off of a "rewards program" from its users using a firm set of rules. (I am sure Steve can explain it a heck of a lot better than I can) But from a new users perspective, this is what it seems to be. And I'll leave the rest of this open for him to talk about.

But this is just one way of going about the "idea" of having "free idea's" and its many uses...

For example: Idea-a-Day takes users submissions (sorts out the bad ones) and then posts an idea a day on its page... but unlike Steve, the creator David Owen turned his page into a book... but I guess that is also a great way to get the ideas that were put up on the web, out to more people, and maybe... just maybe... created and used to some extent.

Then there is the less commercial... the 'true at heart'... the intellectuals that are "do gooders" ... hence: ThinkCycle.org... Which is a great page that tackles "designs that matter" and ways to help everyone around the world... simply stunning and beautiful, yet very difficult to motivate those of us who are greedy.
Another site that operates around these same lines is Global Idea's Bank.org. And they only accept "social innovations" so scratch off gizmos and widgets and things you'll only use once a year. ;)

Halfbakery.com takes and interesting approach to "free innovation"... "The Halfbakery is a communal database of original, fictitious inventions, edited by its users. It was created by people who like to speculate, both as a form of satire and as a form of creative expression". It also contains some very humorous posts! :D

Then there is me... Freeidea.org followes the same concepts as those above... but with a small difference... Instead of rewards, worthy goals, or plain curiosity, Freeidea.org was founded with a public license... very similar to that of free software that you see today (ie. Firefox, Linux, phpBB, etc).

So as we can see, there are quite a few 'creative, idea, curiosity, sites' in existance. All with the same mindset... All with a different way of tackeling it. What is it that drives us to make these sites? ... and how about the rest of us? When and where did we get the 'bright idea' to search for "ideas" online? Are we on the brim of a new era of thinking? I noticed most of these sites were created around 2000-2002... coincidence?

And which is better? ... I'd say none.... Each site is tailored to a certain cause/type/purpose and style... which in turn, is reflected in their users. After all... we are nothing without you.

What do you think about all of this?

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 7:27 pm
by Keith
As I dive further into the 'free world' I ran into a few interesting things on Wikipedia.org. :-)

Aparently there was a book written by a Stanford professor called "Free Culture" which has created a "free culture" among students... Make sure to check out their website Freeculture.org (both of which are founded on the Creative Commons License)

And I think everyone should watch this excellent presentation by Professor Lawrence Lessig at:
http://www.eff.org/IP/freeculture/free.html

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 11:44 pm
by Keith
You know what... It think I should sell out to the Creative Commons crowed as well... well, at least under the (Attribution, Share Alike) license. ;)

Thats pretty much IDENTICAL to the UGPL almost... (in theory)

What does everyone else think about the Creative Commons license when it comes to ideas? (which can be tricky depending on what it is) :-?

Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 10:46 pm
by Keith
Well... freeidea.org is now fully Creative Commons enabled/compliant...

I really like the creativity pool though... anyone know what happend to Steve? I haven't seen him on the forums in a long time. :~(

*looks around*

am I the only one who wants to talk about idea sites?... bummer.

Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 7:10 am
by Rishi
Keith wrote:Well... freeidea.org is now fully Creative Commons enabled/compliant...

I really like the creativity pool though... anyone know what happend to Steve? I haven't seen him on the forums in a long time. :~(

*looks around*

am I the only one who wants to talk about idea sites?... bummer.
Dear Keith,
Your ideas and your 'avatar' can be quite dizzying. Thanks for the many leads in your post. The world needs all the ideas it can get. Free ones most welcome.

Regards,
rishi