There is a very interesting debate raging about the value of free in today’s business culture. This discussion centers around the new book Free by Chris Anderson of Wired Magazine. You can catch the best of posts from here. I just finished reading Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point and Free is next on my list.
As a new writer using the freeconomics model to get my name out there, by giving away digital versions of my writing, I find this debate endlessly fascinating. While I adore Gladwell’s books, I can see that his mindset is very much in the old school way of doing things. I’ve read Anderson’s articles in Wired, nearly from the conception of the magazine, so I tend to lean more in his camp on this issue. But I have not read Free yet, so I can’t say I’m one hundred percent in his corner. I’ll let you know after I read his book.
Until then, if this matter interests you, and because you are bothering to read this unknown author’s ramblings, I suspect it will interest you, do read the articles linked in the above Squidoo page.