»At the beginning all software was free.«
– Georg Greve
German physicist and spokesman for the Free Software Foundation Europe
Have you ever heard the word Linux? It is the operating system that most internet servers in the world run on. It is open-source software, free software, with the source code being open to everyone so that they can use it. Thousand of programmers work on developing it without receiving any pay. No software company in the world could afford such a big international team of developers.
Up to now the developers have done this work in their spare time. They have to earn their living with other work, for example by working for commercial projects.
But what if a developer wants to concentrate on a still unknown project that requires his full attention? Such a project might, for example, be the development of a machine that uses a hitherto unknown source of energy, which is therefore not yet scientifically recognised. If he can only concentrate on it in his spare time, he may lack the time to make the breakthrough.
With the active basic income that would be no problem. He could probably explain the benefit of his development work to the community and receive his active basic income for it. And even if he did 50 hours of work outside his field for the community, he would still have enough time to continue working on his research. If he has a family, he will not be burdened with additional commitments to provide for their support since all members of the family themselves have the right to an active basic income.
Just imagine how many hitherto unrecognised geniuses would thus gain the opportunity to research and develop their projects! What fantastic progress humankind would make in this way.