Really? I like when folks give me free crap, especially when I don't user their services. :) - Todd Jordan

You = Consumer. Of course! Free shit ftw! - Eric Rice

Just giving shit away is not a business strategy - Brian Sullivan

you're right though, give away <> strategy, it's a tactic, and if that's your main draw, your stuff may not be worth having. - Todd Jordan

Wrong way of thinking. When you give, you get. Free works. I just wrote an entire post about his last week. Because of my "free", I've gained monetarily and more. - Jim Kukral from twhirl

I've been wondering about this myself, when it comes to fiction and non-fiction writing. I'm leaning towards keeping things secret until I get published, which is the traditional way, instead of podiobooking, etc. What do you think? - Christine Cavalier

A long time ago, someone posted a podcasting PDF and sold it for 20 dollars. Another person criticized it and said 'well all that stuff is available for FREE on my site etc". I asked the person selling the PDF, "Has it been doing well?" and he replied "Of course!"... As a result, he point blank made money, while the other person may have had to use that as a marketing path to making money. So from the PRODUCER side, it's a serious concern. Consumer side, well, heh, who doesn't want Free Stuff? Heh. - Eric Rice

Sometimes though, free stuff makes me nervous. Imagine if someone said "I wanna give you my car for free"... how many of us would go YAH RIGHT WHAT'S THE CATCH? :) - Eric Rice

In "Predictably Irrational" Dan Ariely has a whole chapter on what the word 'free' does to our decison-making process. Basically, we make silly choices, e.g. buying an extra book to qualify for 'free shipping.' "Free" works, every time. So, caveat emptor to 'free' offers when shopping - they will usually make you spend more money. - Christine Cavalier

people want free stuff but would you work for free. He'll no. You want to get paid - David Jacobs

People will work for free if it is a social contract, like volunteering to help a friend move. But they won't sustain the work, unless, of course, it's for family. ;-) - Christine Cavalier