When something is free, people feel a positive glow — and standard cost-benefit analyses go out the window.
Episode 386: The Power of Free
Everybody likes free. But free can be dangerous. On today's show, what happens when you take something that was free and give it a price. That's a highly risky move and the damage can be enormous.
In Thrall to Scarcity
As I’ve talked about in this space in the past, I’ve been coming to some conclusions about free software (open source, or whatever you want to call it): the economics of it, like anythi…
Money, Money, Money - Writing software, in a rich (wo)man's world by Russell Keith-Magee
Why Free Markets Make Fools of Us
George Akerlof and Robert Shiller believe that once we understand human psychology, we will be a lot less enthusiastic about free markets and a lot more worried about the harmful effects of competition. In their view, companies exploit human weaknesses not necessarily because they are malicious or venal, but because the market makes them do it.
It’s time to rethink Open Source
Why developers give away valuable work for free — and what can be done to take that money back.
Why we charge for Apps when other apps are free — Chimbori
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Freedom Isn't Free
An inquiry into the failure of the free software movement, and a proposal for recovering its radical soul.
The Value of Open Source Software
The value of a non-pecuniary (free) product is inherently difficult to assess. A pervasive example is open source software (OSS), a global public good that play
Craigslist, Wikipedia, and the Abundance Economy
You’ve heard it before. Maybe you’ve even said it. “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” “You can’t get something for nothing.” “Somebody has to pay.” People recite these sayings with confidence, as though they were quoting Newton’s Laws of Motion...
Unfixed Resources: Perceived Costs, Consumption, and the Accessible Account Effect
Abstract. Consumption depletes one's available resources, but consumers may be unaware of the total resources available for consumption and, therefore, be
Unlocking the commons
"The most powerful and interesting media model will remain raising money from members who don't just permit but <em>insist</em> that the product be given away for free."
Why Open Source Misses the Point of Free Software - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation
The terms “free software” and “open source” stand for almost the same range of programs. However, they say deeply different things about those programs, based on different values. The free software movement campaigns for freedom for the users of computing; it is a movement for freedom and justice. By contrast, the open source idea values mainly practical advantage and does not campaign for principles. This is why we do not agree with open source, and do not use that term.
Why freemium apps suck for everyone (and how Apple is killing paid apps)
I work on an iPhone app called Reps & Sets as a hobby project in my spare time. This week, my partner and I came to the conclusion that there is no
“We Own You” – Confessions of an Anonymous Free to Play Producer – TouchArcade
When it comes to discussions surrounding free to play, people often focus on monetization tactics based on their experiences as a player. Folks commonly get upset based on the disruption of the historical precedent that games should have a price tag, that you pay, then get the game.
The internet has evolved to foster a fatal expectation: that the things we depend on every day are free. They aren't, but we're allowed to pretend they are with the help of ad-driven business models. The real cost is substantial, and can be measured in time, money, relationships, health, and more.
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