“Free” as in “free beer,” not as in “free speech”

Chris Anderson’s latest book, “Free” is free on Amazon to download for the Kindle or the Kindle app on the iPhone or iPod touch.

Or is it? No, sorry, to access it you need the Kindle (not available outside United States) or the Kindle app. If you try to download the app from the iTunes Store without an appropriate account, it says:

iTunes dialog: Your account is only valid for purchases in the Finnish iTunes Store. Clicking OK will take you to this store.

But I am not purchasing anything! I am simply trying to download a free piece of software! To access a free piece of content. And I am not allowed to do that in a disrespectful way.

Way to go, Amazon, Apple and Chris Anderson!

Free is also an ideology. Don’t forget that.

6 Replies to ““Free” as in “free beer,” not as in “free speech””

  1. You’ll find a link to a free, available for everyone, version here: http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/magazine/17-07/mf_freer (“Download the audiobook” it says to left a bit under the first big picture, right above the flash audio player). The zip contains 21 mp3 files, so you’ll need to change the option (in iTunes) on all files to “remember position” to have them act accordingly.

  2. Thanks for the link! However, that link shortening service you used seems to be down at the moment, blocking the way to the actual page. Should not use them if you don’t really need to.

  3. Come to think of it, this is even more crazy. Why is this audiobook then restricted regionally on iTunes, if it is globally available elsewhere?

Comments are closed.