Inside view:
If I had a safety net for one year, I would program some open-source games and/or applications (business model: "if you like this game/app, please send me €5"), write a blog about programming games (business model: adsense), and then publish the blog contents as a book (business model: obvious). At the end of the year, if I had a stable income of €500 monthly, I would continue this strategy.
Outside view:
I would spend all day reading and commenting web sites, complaining each evening how short was this day. After half year I would become very anxious and try to find the best way to spend the rest of the year; while reading and commenting web sites all day. After 3/4 year I would become very depressed, and after 11 months I would swear that if only I had the same chance again, I wouldn't waste it.
If someone wants to drop out of the usual frameworks to paint, to write the great American novel, or to develop FAI, I'd say -- first, produce something in your offhours to prove (to yourself) you're serious.
If you manage to do something worthwhile that way, go ahead and quit.
In the open thread, moridinamael hypothesized that LWers would be willing to take more risks in order to become rich if they had a financial safety net. This seems like an idea worth exploring further.
What would you do if you had a financial safety net (maybe a year's worth of living expenses) to fall back on if your venture failed?