Busking for dollars

I've likened Radiohead's "No really, it's up to you" pricing scheme to a tip jar, and I think the comparison is a good one. They've basically put a ginormous virtual guitar case out on the virtual sidewalk and invited people to toss money in.

So this is an old, old business model, albeit on an unusually large scale. Neither is it new on the web. That PayPal donation button on your favorite project's web site is just another tip jar.

It must get some results, or people would most likely have stopped doing it, but on the other hand I wonder how many people (outside those in musical acts with established audiences of millions) make much off of it.