[WEB4LIB] Opera is adware, not free (was Re: Opera 5 (Win) re lease FREE)

[GRAY, PAUL]

BTW - I DO agree with your questioning the terminology.
When money changes hands in any manner a product is no longer free.

And I agree that advertisements - whether in software - or television shows
- or at the theatre - are frustrating.

And I think your decision not to support a product whose practices you
dislike is a very legitimate decision.

But to think you will be able to avoid advertiser supported products and/or
services is unrealistic  - at least in this world.

The fact is  - 
If a company has expenses to meet - employees to pay etc.  that money has to
come from some place.

A company with a product or service to provide has basicly 3 choices -
Charge the consumer directly for a different product - 
and bundle the so-called 'free' product with it.
Charge the consumer directly for the product.
Find 3rd parties who are willing to fund the product in excange for some
benefit (such as advertising space).

Bill Gates pretty much mastered the first choice -
Opera has chosen to do BOTH of the last two - giving the consumer a choice.

I agree with Mr. Dowling -- it sounds like a pretty sound business decision.


I can't trace the source (maybe some of you reference types can help) but it
is a very true statement -
"Nothing happens until someone sells something."

Paul H. Gray,Manager - Library LAN & CLC
TCC Northeast Campus Library
817-515-6623
"Those Williams boys they still mean a lot to me - - - Hank and Tennessee"

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Raymond Wood [mailto:raywood at magma.ca]
> Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2000 4:36 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] Opera is adware, not free (was Re: Opera 5 (Win)
> release FREE)
> 
> 
> Opera is *not* free - it is adware, and that is a huge 
> difference IMNSHO.
> 
> I will *not* support adware in any way shape or form, and I encourage
> others to boycott this silly commerical software concept and send a 
> message loud and clear.
> 
> Why *should* I pollute my computing fun with garbage ads anyway?
> 
> Raymond (who has had it with ongoing 'commercial-creep')
> 
> On Thu, Dec 07, 2000 at 06:17:51AM -0800, Drew, Bill wrote:
> > 
> > I thought I would be Thomas Dowling in getting this 
> information out about
> > the latest Opera browser.
> > 
> > Bill Drew
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > http://www.opera.com/
> > 
> > [Description below from CNET]
> [snip]
>