Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet

Interoperability still persists in some categories of internet services. It thrives, notably, in video games where users create “mods”: game remixes or DIY components that can consist of altered art, modified gameplay, randomized game elements, add-ons such as new weapons or tools, and other custom bits.

Blogs and social networks bolted on commenting apps like Disqus and showcased third-party photos from sites like Flickr. They did this all for free; no one asked for permission.

The difference between a protocol network like email and a corporate network like Twitter is that email’s network effect accrues to a community instead of a company.

Tech industry players responded by “moving up the stack,” focusing on services instead of software. A new buzzword—“software as a service,” or SaaS—soon took root.

The first, “protocol networks,” like email and the web, are open systems controlled by communities of software developers and other network stakeholders. These networks are egalitarian, democratic, and permissionless: open to anyone and free to access. In these systems, money and power tend to flow to the network edges, incentivizing systems to gro

Token rewards can boost the income of creators.

Harnessing fandom is a powerful way to market new story universes without spending millions on advertising.

In a well-designed network, growth begets growth, creating a healthy and dynamic system.

Early delivery and ride-sharing apps hooked into Google Maps.