The End of the Free Web (and I Feel Fine)

Related link: http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2768421,00.html?chkpt=zdnn_tp_

After years of dot-coms falsely assuming that a limitless supply of advertising dollars attached to traffic would keep them profitable, many leading sites will begin experimenting with turning themselves into subscription-only packages. This article on ZDNet brings up many interesting issues with the problems using today's "New Economy" ideals as it applies to content-driven sites.

That free sites may start charging subscriptions shouldn't come as a shock to anybody, as the internet porn industry has shown that this business model can work, given the supplier is giving the consumer something they feel is worth giving over their charge card numbers for. Most likely we will see a change from totally free content sites to a mix of free and pay-for-view models, as seen in Salon.com's new model of generating revenue from both consumers and advertising.

We also can't forget Microsoft's .NET strategy, a plan to turn its software from a PC-based product into a network-based subscription service, which will have a tremendous impact on what we think of as "the free web"

As an avid surfer of content-driven sites, I can't help but hang my head at the coming trend, as I won't pay for the countless sites I visit each week. As somebody working in the free content website business, I can't help but applaud the trend, as the constant push to garner more page views in order to make more revenue from advertising has become a constant battle with no end in site. The "free years" sure were great though, weren't they?

Should content on the web remain free, or have we been spoiled for too long and it's time to pay the piper? Post your thoughts here.