The problem with free (2019)

#1

Post by pyjamafish » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 3:25 AM UTC

The problem with free (2019)
vanschneider.com

Re: The problem with free (2019)

#2

Post by smcn » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 4:24 AM UTC

By no means a new or revolutionary take but important nonetheless. I do, however, believe that this model is just too profitable to go away. People don't really care about these issues and are instead learning to live in the panopticon.

Re: The problem with free (2019)

#3

Post by alexashka » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 4:43 AM UTC

This isn't new. The propaganda machine is always free or just about. Free as in we tax you and then give you propaganda we make using your money, but, it's free, because you see, it's 10 steps removed from you having paid for it.

Re: The problem with free (2019)

#4

Post by wmf » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 4:47 AM UTC

"Consumer software barely existed just 20 years ago. At that time, it was mostly large enterprise software or companies focused on developing software for professionals."

I kinda hate to be that guy but there was a whole store at the mall called Babbage's that sold consumer software. Sure, half was games but there was still plenty of other stuff.

Re: The problem with free (2019)

#5

Post by gabmartini » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:00 AM UTC

This is definitely an article that hit (some) right ideas based on incorrect assumptions or an inaccurate historical context. Don't know if I would recommend it to a broader audience.

tl;dr: If the product is free, you are the product.

Re: The problem with free (2019)

#6

Post by _carbyau_ » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:10 AM UTC

wmf wrote: post #4

"Consumer software barely existed just 20 years ago. At that time, it was mostly large enterprise software or companies focused on developing software for professionals." I kinda hate to be that guy but there was a whole store at the mall called Babbage's that sold consumer software. Sure, half was games but there was still plenty of other stuff.

This rankled me too. I understand the world was different, but "barely existed" ?

Re: The problem with free (2019)

#7

Post by Jensson » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 5:51 AM UTC

gabmartini wrote: post #5

This is definitely an article that hit (some) right ideas based on incorrect assumptions or an inaccurate historical context. Don't know if I would recommend it to a broader audience. tl;dr: If the product is free, you are the product.

But if you are resistant to advertisements then many products are free for real. For example, free games are "not free" since they push you to buy microtransactions, but if you can easily resist that sort of temptation then the product is completely free to you. This isn't especially rare either, most people playing free games doesn't pay anything for it so for most people those games are really free.

So a revised statement would be "If the product is free, some users are the product.", as many users aren't easily manipulated and therefore don't become products.

Re: The problem with free (2019)

#8

Post by UncleEntity » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 6:00 AM UTC

wmf wrote: post #4

"Consumer software barely existed just 20 years ago. At that time, it was mostly large enterprise software or companies focused on developing software for professionals." I kinda hate to be that guy but there was a whole store at the mall called Babbage's that sold consumer software. Sure, half was games but there was still plenty of other stuff.

I distinctly remember buying consumer software 30 years ago after I got out of the army early and they accidentally sent me an extra paycheck which promptly went to buying a Macintosh.

Re: The problem with free (2019)

#9

Post by chinathrow » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 6:05 AM UTC

_carbyau_ wrote: post #6

wmf wrote: post #4

"Consumer software barely existed just 20 years ago. At that time, it was mostly large enterprise software or companies focused on developing software for professionals." I kinda hate to be that guy but there was a whole store at the mall called Babbage's that sold consumer software. Sure, half was games but there was still plenty of other stuff.

This rankled me too. I understand the world was different, but "barely existed" ?

> "barely existed"

Maybe the term is better understood in terms of amount of "offered software then vs. now"?

Re: The problem with free (2019)

#10

Post by UncleEntity » Mon, Jul 04, 2022, 6:06 AM UTC

gabmartini wrote: post #5

This is definitely an article that hit (some) right ideas based on incorrect assumptions or an inaccurate historical context. Don't know if I would recommend it to a broader audience. tl;dr: If the product is free, you are the product.

> If the product is free, you are the product.

I used to contribute to a GPL licensed program which is apparently doing pretty well in its industry these days and is just free. They pay developers a living wage and have a plug-in ecosystem which also generates income for people to develop them (I assume, don’t know if people live off plug-in income).