Stop the presses -- Software isn't free
Time surprised me with this one. They're usually a bit more clued in than this.
"It's probably been a while since you bought new software. That's because so many tech firms — buoyed by ads placed in Web-based applications like the Google Docs word processor and the thousands of apps on Facebook — can now afford to give their programs away for free," says Anita Hamilton.
Actually, that's far from true. I buy software all the time. Most of the free stuff that's out there is crap. And I can't stand using Web-based applications most of the time.
"So why can't all iPhone apps be free? Well, quite simply, because people are still willing to pay for them," she adds.
No shit, Sherlock. Because, even though Richard Stallman and his furry unwashed minions would love to live in some socialist utopia where software is free, shit ain't like that in the real world. Here on Planet Earth, developers who create something of value get paid for their effort.