Death by obscurity

Have you ever worried about being copied? About having your work stolen and shared for free?

If so, you’re not alone. Over the years, I’ve had this happen to several friends who create things like courses, frameworks, and methods.

And while I can’t truly relate, having not had this happen to me personally, I can empathize with how that must feel.

Especially in the context that someone is A) making money and B) doing it in a way that could hurt your good name.

And yet…

I can’t ever forget this quote from Tim O’Reilly, which I heard from Seth Godin:

So, I often try to raise this point when friends are fretting about being copied. (It doesn’t always go well, lol.)

The way I see it, having your ideas spread is a far better thing than locking them down to be their sole distributor. Particularly when they are a means of attracting clients and not the main source of one’s income.

Death to death by obscurity,
James

P.S. I found the source for the quote. It’s from 2002 and is an interesting read about the early days of online music sharing and the like.

P.P.S. This piece by friend of the list, Kevin Freidberg, offers a much more succinct capturing of the same thought.