FREE Review

I’ve posted my full review (based on a free, natch, review copy of the book I received) of Chris Anderson’s new book FREE over on MMM but here’s a sampler:

Anderson never, despite what some people have read into his thesis, comes out and says that giving things away for free is a one-size fits all model. There is still a place – a necessary place – in the world for charging things. And not every industry or even company can take advantage of giving things away. But it is something that some companies can experiment with and maybe find success with.

Instead FREE is an even-handed presentation of what has been done with various experimentations along these lines in the past, what is being done right now and what could be done in the future.

As with Anderson’s previous book, The Long Tail, it’s a thought-provoking and easy, intriguing read. And as with The Long Tail Anderson’s thesis makes a lot of sense to anyone who goes into it with anything approaching an open mind. If you can’t see the points he’s making and at least concede that there’s value in a discussion around those ideas it means you’re projecting your own fears and agendas onto his writing and that’s not giving them a fair shake.