Google at least has been able to monetize their model using auction based algorithms to sell ad space, others don't.

This platform Tumblr is free. Twitter if free. Facebook? MySpace? Free.

Many, many more sites & services, free.

But people work for these companies, and not for free. Servers are not free, bandwidth is not free, utilities and all other services making these systems work, are not free.

So who is paying the bills & why?

The free service model sort of looks like passing out free samples of crack to get you hooked.

You are hooked, aren't you? 8 minutes of no Gmail and you were whining like babies. I heard you.

So when do the dealers & and pimps of free close in asking us to pay for our keep?

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Someone is paying the bills.

What are you willing to pay down the road to feed your addiction?

They will come to collect; someone always comes to collect.

I'm thinking of Requiem for a Dream, a brilliant film, but hard to watch, and I see a cycle of dependency growing in online usage. I do it myself.

I don't relish hearing the crazed loon screaming ass to ass for an encore.

Maybe its time to re-assess free before it's too late. Pay as you go isn't so bad.

Cheers.