Hey stackers, mulling over an idea that I think could bring some extra zest to SN and provide a new way for both creators and readers to interact with content: e-books with a pay-per-page model.
Yep, I think Stacker News could implement a feature where users can publish e-books, and readers would navigate through the book one page at a time, paying a tiny fee (e.g., 1 sat) for each page they view. The beauty of this model is that readers don’t have to commit to purchasing an entire book upfront. If the book sucks, they just stop reading and the cost reflects their actual engagement.
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For Readers:
- No more buyer’s remorse after purchasing a book that turns out to be a snooze-fest.
- Only pay for the content you actually consume.
- Perfect for skimming or sampling multiple books without breaking the bank.
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For Authors:
- Instant monetization without relying on traditional publishers.
- Greater exposure to readers who might hesitate to buy an entire book.
- Ongoing revenue as readers gradually consume the content.
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For Stacker News:
- Expands the ecosystem and creates a new revenue stream (platform takes a small cut per page viewed).
- Adds a killer feature that reinforces SN as the Agora of Digital Knowledge.
How it could work:
- Authors upload their books in a supported format (e.g., Markdown, PDF, or something SN-friendly).
- Stacker News could integrate a simple e-reader interface for navigating the book.
- Each time a reader turns the page, a sat is deducted from their wallet and sent to the author (minus a small platform fee).
- Optional tipping feature for readers who want to throw extra sats at authors they love.
Questions to the community:
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Does this already exist somewhere?
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Would you use a feature like this as a reader?
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Authors: Would you upload your work to SN if this feature existed?
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Devs: How feasible is this to implement? (I’m a noob, so forgive me if this sounds crazy.)
Stacker News thrives on rewarding valuable content with sats. Applying this to long-form content like e-books feels like a natural extension. Plus, this aligns with the cypherpunk ethos of cutting out middlemen and empowering creators directly. Personally, I’d love to see an e-book section on SN where we could browse, read, and zap sats to support our favorite authors. Imagine reading "The Sovereign Individual" or "Mastering Bitcoin" one page at a time, paying for what truly grabs your attention.
What do you guys think? Viable? Crazy? Worth exploring? Thanks for reading, sat