if something is free on the internet...

[infinity11]

...YOU are the product.

Read this a while ago and it stuck.

There MAY be exceptions however...

Constructive thoughts and comments?

oh and maybe even true for paid services as well

[nickmanchester2]

yes, you will get up sold OTO (internet marketing term for 'one time offer' buy now, be quick - last chance)

or, its illegal or the site will be ad driven

[Chao Lao Beach]

True for Thai Visa as well, we are the product and make the product for the owners in the form of information in the post, that's life. This makes hits and reputation that can be sold for ads, hopefully to reputable companies but some times fakes do slip through.

You statement above is true, even off the net.

[ETatBKK]

there is nothing free in the internet; if you don't pay for it, YOU ARE THE PRODUCT :-)

check it out :

the digital revolution, BBC Two, 2010

[Chicog]

I always tell people: "If it looks to good to be true, it almost certainly is".

[Paul888]

A true "Hold the front page!" revelation if ever I heard one......

[infinity11]

A true "Hold the front page!" revelation if ever I heard one......

sarcasm?

[Chicog]

Either way, you can tell people until you are blue in the face and they'll still hit an OK button.

Edited March 8, 2014 by Chicog

[transam]

I thought only malware, programs we don't want, and spyware was free on the Net. Could be wrong but..............

[Chicog]

No, the open source community do some terrific stuff. You just have to make sure you get it from the right places.

[bendejo]

Even when you're buying something you are stll a product.

Every so often gmail asks me to give them my telephone number 'for my own protection.' It serves as a good reminder, in my case anyway.

[Chicog]

Even when you're buying something you are stll a product.

Every so often gmail asks me to give them my telephone number 'for my own protection.' It serves as a good reminder, in my case anyway.

Unless you really are a crim, having two factor authentication with your phone as the second factor is a great way to protect your account, and I don't see what the downside is unless you are worried about the Ed Snowden stuff.

[bendejo]

linking an email address to a telephone number = bad idea

[NeverSure]

I'm lost. "If something is free..." Like what?

Some of my favorite programs are free, although you have to watch when you install them that they don't install other programs you don't want. Watch every page, read, and decline. Never choose the recommended default installation but choose custom.

AVG antivirus, CCleaner, Cobian Backup, Firefox, Thunderbird, Irfanview photo viewer and manipulator, Video Download Tool bar, LastPass password manager, Free Desktop Timer, 7-Zip, etc.

(Cobian Backup is a good addition to Windows Backup because you can choose certain files and it doesn't encrypt them. You can simply drag and drop using explorer. It also uses the Windows Shadow Copy Service.

Is this what we're talking about?

[tingtong]

not. this isnt exactly what we talking about...although it is true for many of these too probably.

what we talking about, sites, programs that are free, but the user is a commodity of these sites...

like TVF was mentioned, it is free...but actually as some mentioned that the info on it is its value...that was somewhat wrong.

the value of TVF and may similar is the user base. in this case it is even better, as generally they belong to similar user group, so, easier to target them with advertising.

and that is money.

doesnt matter it is lawyers looking clients here to form companies, or language school for students, or selling garden bbq, or plane tickets...

have a large group of ppl who generally all speak english, and all have income to spend. moreover most of them is either living in the same general area, or interested to live in ( Thailand).

Now, that makes us valued commodity on the internet!!

that makes TVF valuable, and desirable for for advertisers....thus TVF's every single page is full of advertising!! top, bottom and side.

so, in the sense we are the PRODUCT that TVF sells, sells to the advertisers

[Chicog]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2216675/So-worth-Google-Facebook-New-browser-add-gives-users-estimate-free-web-services-making-personal-data.html

[schondie]

I'm lost. "If something is free..." Like what?

Some of my favorite programs are free, although you have to watch when you install them that they don't install other programs you don't want. Watch every page, read, and decline. Never choose the recommended default installation but choose custom.

AVG antivirus, CCleaner, Cobian Backup, Firefox, Thunderbird, Irfanview photo viewer and manipulator, Video Download Tool bar, LastPass password manager, Free Desktop Timer, 7-Zip, etc.

(Cobian Backup is a good addition to Windows Backup because you can choose certain files and it doesn't encrypt them. You can simply drag and drop using explorer. It also uses the Windows Shadow Copy Service.

Is this what we're talking about?

Exactly what I was thinking about, free programs made by people that still believe the internet is about sharing for free. I'll discount AVG and one or two others from that list.

Some are free to individuals but companies must pay to use. Still, some people do the decent thing and release their stuff for free. Before moving to Linux I used a great free program called MZ Tweak by a Greek chap called Michael Zacharias. Much better than CCleaner and other all in one tools.

There's still decent people out there that want to share their programs without any hidden agendas - ie. no spyware or viruses.

[infinity11]

I'm lost. "If something is free..." Like what?

Some of my favorite programs are free, although you have to watch when you install them that they don't install other programs you don't want. Watch every page, read, and decline. Never choose the recommended default installation but choose custom.

AVG antivirus, CCleaner, Cobian Backup, Firefox, Thunderbird, Irfanview photo viewer and manipulator, Video Download Tool bar, LastPass password manager, Free Desktop Timer, 7-Zip, etc.

(Cobian Backup is a good addition to Windows Backup because you can choose certain files and it doesn't encrypt them. You can simply drag and drop using explorer. It also uses the Windows Shadow Copy Service.

Is this what we're talking about?

Exactly what I was thinking about, free programs made by people that still believe the internet is about sharing for free. I'll discount AVG and one or two others from that list.

Some are free to individuals but companies must pay to use. Still, some people do the decent thing and release their stuff for free. Before moving to Linux I used a great free program called MZ Tweak by a Greek chap called Michael Zacharias. Much better than CCleaner and other all in one tools.

There's still decent people out there that want to share their programs without any hidden agendas - ie. no spyware or viruses.

How does one know the agenda of the distributor?

What are the best software review sites for the non-professional user?