Comments on: The Value of Free Information? http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/ The leading source of news covering social media and the blogosphere. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:30:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Value of Free in Business Marketing http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-365232 The Value of Free in Business Marketing Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:54:11 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-365232 [...] “free” marketing experiment yielded similar results. David Peralty writes in The Value of Free Information “[my free video experiment]… really showed me that the community doesn’t really [...] [...] “free” marketing experiment yielded similar results. David Peralty writes in The Value of Free Information “[my free video experiment]… really showed me that the community doesn’t really [...]

]]> By: Giving away free information on the web can be a good thing | The WordPress PAD http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-347943 Giving away free information on the web can be a good thing | The WordPress PAD Tue, 12 Feb 2008 05:03:50 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-347943 [...] This afternoon I came across this article at The Blog Herald (a great resource, by the way) titled “The Value of Free Information?”. The following is an excerpt that stood out most. “A friend of mine, Mark, has decided that [...] [...] This afternoon I came across this article at The Blog Herald (a great resource, by the way) titled “The Value of Free Information?”. The following is an excerpt that stood out most. “A friend of mine, Mark, has decided that [...]

]]> By: Chris Garrett http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-259612 Chris Garrett Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:41:19 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-259612 There seems to be times when people undervalue what you give freely and other times when people get annoyed that you have the cheek to charge. In the end you have to go with what you believe is right and fair. To your own self be true :) There seems to be times when people undervalue what you give freely and other times when people get annoyed that you have the cheek to charge. In the end you have to go with what you believe is right and fair. To your own self be true :)

]]> By: Myla http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-258462 Myla Wed, 21 Nov 2007 03:23:54 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-258462 Don't give up on your free chat advice yet. I think you just have to promote it more to get more participants. Don’t give up on your free chat advice yet. I think you just have to promote it more to get more participants.

]]> By: photo48 » The Value of Free Information? http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-258432 photo48 » The Value of Free Information? Wed, 21 Nov 2007 02:33:32 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-258432 [...] full story here [...] [...] full story here [...]

]]> By: The Value of Free Things on the Web http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-258319 The Value of Free Things on the Web Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:32:22 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-258319 [...] This afternoon I cam across this article at The Blog Herald (a great resource, by the way) titled “The Value of Free Information?”. The following is an excerpt that stood out [...] [...] This afternoon I cam across this article at The Blog Herald (a great resource, by the way) titled “The Value of Free Information?”. The following is an excerpt that stood out [...]

]]> By: Anne Helmond http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-258154 Anne Helmond Tue, 20 Nov 2007 22:52:11 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-258154 I recently noticed that ever since I got PayPal my attitude towards "free" things is changing. Because of the ridiculously high fees of dollar-to-euro and PayPay-to-bank conversion the small amount in my account is just not worth transferring it. I bought a few CDs from obscure labels that accept PayPal and I've started acting on the "Donate by Paypal" buttons and banners. I recently begun donating somewhere between 1 and 5 dollars for plugins, fonts and other webgoodies I love. It feels good to leave a comment or donate a few bucks to say thank you. I recently noticed that ever since I got PayPal my attitude towards “free” things is changing. Because of the ridiculously high fees of dollar-to-euro and PayPay-to-bank conversion the small amount in my account is just not worth transferring it.

I bought a few CDs from obscure labels that accept PayPal and I’ve started acting on the “Donate by Paypal” buttons and banners. I recently begun donating somewhere between 1 and 5 dollars for plugins, fonts and other webgoodies I love. It feels good to leave a comment or donate a few bucks to say thank you.

]]> By: Lorelle VanFossen http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-257661 Lorelle VanFossen Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:51:18 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-257661 @<a href="http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-257609" rel="nofollow">David Peralty</a>: Nah, it's your stuff. I just live it. :D @David Peralty:

Nah, it’s your stuff. I just live it. :D

]]> By: David Peralty http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-257609 David Peralty Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:10:35 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-257609 Wow... Maybe you should have written a post around this whole thing, it seems like you have given it a huge amount of intense thought. I will have to go over your comment a few times, but I definitely think you have some very post worthy material here. Don't let it all just hide in a comment on my post. :) Wow… Maybe you should have written a post around this whole thing, it seems like you have given it a huge amount of intense thought. I will have to go over your comment a few times, but I definitely think you have some very post worthy material here. Don’t let it all just hide in a comment on my post. :)

]]> By: Lorelle VanFossen http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/comment-page-1/#comment-257580 Lorelle VanFossen Tue, 20 Nov 2007 17:59:24 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2007/11/20/the-value-of-free-information/#comment-257580 David, you are just scraping the top off the iceberg on this issue. I've been "blogging" for over 14 years and yet others who have been doing it for less get paid more than I do. There is no glass ceiling online. And you are only as good as your last post. :D There are two issues I see. The chase and competition for money, and the "giving without expectation of return". Yes, people expect everything online to be free. Supporters of Open Source expect the world to pay them for providing free effort, too. And sometimes it pays off. There is also the economics of the thing. I'm paid the same or less as a professional writer as I was paid in 1985. When I challenge this, they tell me that they can pick up a writer from anywhere and pay them $10 so why should they pay me more? Hmm, let's see, decades of experience, education, expertise, specialization, popularity...but hey, what do you want for $10? People forget that you get what you pay for. We live in a society that continues to value the brilliant but wants to keep them starving artists - true to their art through their hunger. Money corrupts. Hey, folks, money pays the bills. There are gimmicks everywhere, and a sucker born every second, so those who price their products and services outrageously often make money because, as you say, there is a perception that the more you pay the greater the value. And then there are free products and services which are of great value, but serve only as hooks to lure them in so they spend more. What I've found is that those who stay consistent and keep their moral values and ethics in pace, through the trends and fads, avoiding the grasping gimmicks, will win in the long run. Those who don't are rewarded for the short run only. I look forward to a day when the tried and true get rewarded more than the scam artists. Think that will happen soon? On the second issue, I think that giving back to society, which is what your attempt to offer free chat advice was about, is a good thing, but we judge them too soon. Did it get a lot of publicity. Was it set up to be incredibly easy to access without signing in or registering? I've seen many such projects start out with the greatest hopes, only to die off in the first few months due to lack of participation. The ones that hung on, started seeing interest a year or two down the road, as word and interest spread, not months. You've got lots of competition. When you do a good will gesture like this, you have to give without expectation of return. David, you are just scraping the top off the iceberg on this issue. I’ve been “blogging” for over 14 years and yet others who have been doing it for less get paid more than I do. There is no glass ceiling online. And you are only as good as your last post. :D

There are two issues I see. The chase and competition for money, and the “giving without expectation of return”.

Yes, people expect everything online to be free. Supporters of Open Source expect the world to pay them for providing free effort, too. And sometimes it pays off.

There is also the economics of the thing. I’m paid the same or less as a professional writer as I was paid in 1985. When I challenge this, they tell me that they can pick up a writer from anywhere and pay them $10 so why should they pay me more? Hmm, let’s see, decades of experience, education, expertise, specialization, popularity…but hey, what do you want for $10?

People forget that you get what you pay for.

We live in a society that continues to value the brilliant but wants to keep them starving artists – true to their art through their hunger. Money corrupts. Hey, folks, money pays the bills.

There are gimmicks everywhere, and a sucker born every second, so those who price their products and services outrageously often make money because, as you say, there is a perception that the more you pay the greater the value. And then there are free products and services which are of great value, but serve only as hooks to lure them in so they spend more.

What I’ve found is that those who stay consistent and keep their moral values and ethics in pace, through the trends and fads, avoiding the grasping gimmicks, will win in the long run. Those who don’t are rewarded for the short run only.

I look forward to a day when the tried and true get rewarded more than the scam artists. Think that will happen soon?

On the second issue, I think that giving back to society, which is what your attempt to offer free chat advice was about, is a good thing, but we judge them too soon. Did it get a lot of publicity. Was it set up to be incredibly easy to access without signing in or registering?

I’ve seen many such projects start out with the greatest hopes, only to die off in the first few months due to lack of participation. The ones that hung on, started seeing interest a year or two down the road, as word and interest spread, not months. You’ve got lots of competition.

When you do a good will gesture like this, you have to give without expectation of return.

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