| rdfs:comment | - Supposedly, the first group of content providers to colonize a new medium once it becomes commercially viable will almost always be the producers of adult-oriented material -- that is, porn. They will, of course, attempt to maximize their profits by flooding their customers with product. This, in turn, will drive up demand, pushing the new medium into the mass market, where economies of scale come into play and make it affordable for increasing numbers of consumers. As more consumers can afford the medium, more non-adult content becomes available, until finally the adult material becomes a niche rather than the primary content available. (But not before the media and Moral Guardians get ahold of it and create a moral panic about all that "smut".)
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| abstract | - Supposedly, the first group of content providers to colonize a new medium once it becomes commercially viable will almost always be the producers of adult-oriented material -- that is, porn. They will, of course, attempt to maximize their profits by flooding their customers with product. This, in turn, will drive up demand, pushing the new medium into the mass market, where economies of scale come into play and make it affordable for increasing numbers of consumers. As more consumers can afford the medium, more non-adult content becomes available, until finally the adult material becomes a niche rather than the primary content available. (But not before the media and Moral Guardians get ahold of it and create a moral panic about all that "smut".) This belief does appear to be promoted by the adult industry itself with the result that a significant number of claims don't hold up to scrutiny. For the scientifically inclined, this trope may be seen as the technological equivalent of the biological concept known as "Succession", which - in its most basic form - goes like so:
* A new but hostile land surface is created (new medium), deterring all but the hardiest forms of life - the pioneer species (site-makers) - with the most basic needs (such as profit) to exploit the only available resources (in this case, desperation). As a result of this, a community develops (the site-makers, who are the producers/pioneers, and the consumers who feed on the efforts of the producers).
* The attempted colonisation of the pioneers erodes the hostile elements of the environment (new medium), making it friendlier. New organisms (producers) to move in - seeing the potential of the changed environment [new medium] - and establish themselves, which would not have been able to survive before the first pioneers had altered the environment [new medium]. New producers also bring new consumers and the face of the resultant community changes.
* Like the pioneers, these new organisms alter the already changed environment [new medium] by their very presence, making it even friendlier and attracting even more new organisms with even greater needs that previous versions of the environment would not be able to support. With regards to new media, the alteration of the environment relates to pushing the new medium's boundaries. A positive feedback loop is hence set up, improving the "new medium" in the aforementioned way over and over. (the internet is currently in this stage, as a medium)
* Eventually, the medium reaches its developmental limit, forming its "climax community." This is the point at which the new medium and its associated community will no longer develop due to the fact that said medium's boundaries have been pushed as far as possible. As such, it can no longer support any more organisms than it already is (radio is at this stage). Of course, the reason this trope practically exists is because Freud Was Right. A result of this rule is (in part) why The Internet Is for Porn. Can contribute to the perception that New Media Are Evil. May be a Mundane Utility. See also Rule 34 and Intercourse with You. See Video Game Perversity Potential for this trope as applied to video game editors. Examples of The Rule of First Adopters include:
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