MakerBot Industries

SXSW 2011: Flattr w/Thingiverse, Readability, Demotix: Rewarding Creators and Crowdfunding

Yesterday, those of us already participating in Flattr‘s social micropayment/micro-donation service to reward fellow Thingiversians for the awesome things they design or make received an “Important service announcement” from Flattr that may change the future of flattry.

From May 1st we no longer require users to flattr others before they can be flattrd. Or in other words, it’s not mandatory to add money to your account to have an active Flattr button.¹

For those of you new to Flattr, the model in the past has been that you had to “pay”² to get “paid”³. Flattr.com itself describes this change in the announcement and elsewhere as “Opening the Floodgates,” and no doubt this major adjustment will persuade quite a few of the reservedly curious to enjoy the opportunity to receive flattry before showing any.⁴

Speaking of Flattr and Thingiverse, the SXSW 2011 panel discussion “Flattr w/Thingiverse, Readability, Demotix: Rewarding Creators and Crowdfunding” that included Thingiverse.com/MakerBot.com web warrior Marty McGuire has been recently posted as an audio podcast on the panel’s page on the SXSW site (just below the panel description). It is interesting listening, especially when the nitty-gritty of the panel discussion gets underway.

A brief highlight from Marty’s discussion about Thingiverse’s Flattr integration and the future of social micropayment: ”I can imagine a future where that’s how everything is paid for — and that’s fantastic: you ‘get’ based on how great the stuff is that you’ve created.”

The use of Flattr is quite active among Thingiverse users, and the mind-blowing designers, inventions and implementations arriving there each day are waiting for your flattry: their work deserves it.

1. The message also instructs us that the correct past tense of “to flattr” is “flattrd,” which suggests that the correct gerund use would be “Flattrng gets you everywhere.” [↩]
2. i.e. add ”means”/money to your account for flattrng other flattrrs [↩]
3. i.e. have an active, clickable Flattr button for visitors to click to agree to send you a share of their monthly Flattr funds [↩]
4. And then, hopefully, to turn around and transform some of their “revenue” into “means” so that they can experience the joy of giving back. [↩]

Flattr w/Thingiverse, Readability, Demotix: Rewarding Creators and Crowdfunding

This coming Saturday morning at SXSW Interactive in Austin, Texas, MakerBot / Thingiverse Web Warrior Marty McGuire will take part in a panel discussing crowdfunding and micropayments in general, and Flattr in specific.¹

I’ve been enjoying the arrival of Flattr to Thingiverse,² and dream of the day in the not-to-distant future that services like these can help 3D modelers on Thingiverse located anywhere in the world both share their work globally with those who might use it, and receive a healthy influx of cash-love back from those benefitting from their efforts.

If you’re going to be at SXSW Interactive this Saturday at 11am, go check out the Flattr panel, cheer Marty on, and join in some lively discussion about living in the future!

1. This is actually the second time Marty has spoken on behalf of MakerBot / Thingiverse, but the last time was as a Citizen MakerBot Operator at MakerFaire Detroit. This time is for realsies! [↩]
2. A chance to tip folks one month, and then pour my Flattr revenue from the previous month back into tipping the next month’s folks! [↩]

Thing-A-Day.com!

The website Thing-A-Day.com challenges people to create a new thing each day in February.  Sign-ups start on January 21, 2011 and end on midnight of February 1, 2011.

And the timing really couldn’t be better.  Now that Thingiverse has incorporated Flattr buttons, people can even reward you with “digital tips” to help keep you motivated throughout the month.  So, dust off some old designs, get inspired to create new things, sculpt something amazing on 3Dtin.com, and share it with everyone!

Thingiverse just launched integration with Flattr – a flat-rate flattering system that lets you give (and receive!) cash money for things that you like on the web.

How it Works

First, you’ll need to sign up with Flattr, if you haven’t already. Once you’ve signed up, you need to add some money to your account, then you can start Flattring your favorite things, designers, and even Thingiverse itself!

But you said “receive”!

Indeed I did! Receiving flattrs on Thingiverse is as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Copy your Flattr User ID from your Flattr settings page.
2. Go to your Thingiverse Profile and click “Edit my Profile”.
3. Paste your Flattr User ID in to the Flattr section and save.

Once you’ve registered your Flattr ID, Thingiverse will automatically put Flattr buttons on your profile and on every thing you upload! Awesome!

Flattr works on a give-to-receive philosophy – you can’t receive flattrs unless you’re also giving out flattrs – so get out there and start Flattring! Check their website for more info about how Flattr works.