

The End of the Free Internet? - edw519
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=11128321

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SecretAgentMan
I remember the internet before it became a corporate whorehouse and it was
fine. Back when the newspapers didn't take it seriously and every little mom
and pop shop didn't have a website. Before people felt the need to tweet every
time they take a dump. Back when it was just people talking to people.

I say hey - if you can't make a buck and that's the only reason you're trying
to communicate then just go away. I'm not logging on to spend money... go get
a real job.

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sliverstorm
I kind of like mom-and-pop places having websites. Not necessarily the honest
to god mom-and-pop's in the middle of nowhere, but it's handy that more than
just the chains, franchises and giants have web pages.

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jsean
"Google, Times of London, New York Times Consider Paid Content Plans"

Google, Times of London, New York Times is not, however hard it is to snap out
of that belief, the internet.

Another point totally oblivion to many authors of such articles is that the
internet is a WORLD WIDE web. For many europeans for instance "internet" is
still "free internet". Content is free. News is free. Information is free.

Personally I wouldn't say it's free per se though. Rather "publicly
available". Still, in practice it's the same effect for the end user.

Headline should read;

"The end of Big Corporations providing free access to their content on the
internet"

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lolsmiff
Digital content and services are no different than real world content and
services. You do not walk into a grocery store expecting everything to be
free. Why would you expect all digital content to be free? Likewise, you have
to pay for a copy of the New York Times at a newsstand, so why would you be
surprised to find that you have to pay for the digital version of the same
thing? The internet is not some strange medium that is outside the realm of
profit-seeking capitalism; among other things, it is a convenient way to
provide services and content, sometimes requiring payment, and I see no
problem with that.

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swombat
_iPads and Smart Phones May Change People's Minds About the Free Internet_

Ah. Another one of these. I'm sure ABC will have an original take on the
topic.

