[kethinov]

I don't think it's true that the existing pay per copy regime is actually forcing anybody to pay who doesn't want to. Everyone knows how to get media for free. The choice not to is already mostly an expression of voluntary donation.

As such, I think if every such work was instantly converted to a pay what you want model with a default asking price set, below which you're presented with a bunch of ads and an annoying email harvesting form or something, the majority of people would still pay the default price out of a combined desire to avoid annoying ads, avoid annoying forms, and to support the author.

Some would pay more if given the option to increase the amount paid in exchange for relatively trivial perks. Even I—defender of piracy extraordinaire—have voluntarily paid for luxury tiers for freemium content on numerous occasions.