Comments on: “You’re not free? You’re gonna die!” http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/03/13/youre-not-free-youre-gonna-die/ Thought stream from SmugMug's CEO & Chief Geek Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:05:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6-bleeding2 By: Agoracom http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/03/13/youre-not-free-youre-gonna-die/#comment-42386 Agoracom Mon, 19 Mar 2007 05:24:02 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/03/13/youre-not-free-youre-gonna-die/#comment-42386 Don, glad to see the GigaOm article has brought out people like you and I that chose to go the business route vs. free/adwords. For too long, I've heard we were too small even though we make more of a profit than most Web 2.0 companies combined. Apart from being disappointing, it was also clearly a recipe for disaster. You knew it, we knew it, now the blogosphere is finally getting it. Perhaps we'll start getting a little more attention for our ability to incorporate W20 tools that businesses are willing to pay for. Best, George Don, glad to see the GigaOm article has brought out people like you and I that chose to go the business route vs. free/adwords. For too long, I’ve heard we were too small even though we make more of a profit than most Web 2.0 companies combined.

Apart from being disappointing, it was also clearly a recipe for disaster. You knew it, we knew it, now the blogosphere is finally getting it. Perhaps we’ll start getting a little more attention for our ability to incorporate W20 tools that businesses are willing to pay for.

Best,
George

]]> By: soxiam http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/03/13/youre-not-free-youre-gonna-die/#comment-41214 soxiam Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:51:26 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/03/13/youre-not-free-youre-gonna-die/#comment-41214 I don't think people are unaware of the risks involved in going with the free model. I think what's more likely happening is "free is easy. paid is hard." Your offering doesn't have to be refined or remarkable if you're going free to gain some traction. The mad dash to "so now how do we monetize it?" is the business cycle that most of these free businesses seem to be stuck in and most perish in. I don’t think people are unaware of the risks involved in going with the free model. I think what’s more likely happening is “free is easy. paid is hard.” Your offering doesn’t have to be refined or remarkable if you’re going free to gain some traction. The mad dash to “so now how do we monetize it?” is the business cycle that most of these free businesses seem to be stuck in and most perish in.

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