Free As In Prepaid
This one is a quick one, but I’ve long felt the need to get it up on the blog because I can’t find the concept anywhere else on the internet, and I’m fairly certain I invented the concept all by myself…
We need to start out with the idea that the word “free”, in the English language, is ambiguous — there is a distinction between free as in “for zero price” (gratis) and free as in “with little or no restriction” (libre). This distinction matters most when it comes to software and open source — freeware might cost nothing, but come with all sorts of licenses that there is much restriction with how you use it. Likewise, you might have to pay for software that you can use completely however you want.
Richard Stallman summarizes this difference by distinguishing between “free as in free speech” (libre) and free as in “free beer” (gratis).
However, it seems like some people have been trying to add a third entry to this distinction. You know how you often hear about things like the free breakfast you can get in the morning at hotels, which is actually fully paid for by your room fee? Or the fact that joining clubs at Denison is free, despite being covered by a $300+ activity fee paid by each student? All of these are free as in prepaid — they’re technically not free, having already been covered by fees you’ve previously paid.
I don’t think these things should actually be considered “free”. We should recognize these ploys as cheap tricks and make notes to not think that this group is being generous, and so we can know what my money is really paying for. As long as they keep getting marketed as “free”, I will know they meant “free” as in pre-paid.
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Updated 11/Jan/2013: Edited for clarity.
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On 9 Jan 2013 in All, Words. 8 Comments.
9 Jan 2013, 12:29 am
I’m accustomed to it being presented as “included” or “including”. We also have the “B & B”, the bed and breakfast. Is this not how it is phrased in the States?
9 Jan 2013, 7:41 am
Maybe this post is sarcasm and it’s going over my head, but taking your post at face value, I’m going to risk disputing your definition.
This is not an alternative definition of the word “free”. It’s a mis-use of the word “free”. You’re certainly not the first to notice that certain businesses use “free” to mean “pre-paid” or “bundled” or “included”. But insofar as you are the first to try to re-define “free” to encompass this concept, I for one would like this meme to die here and now. I don’t want “free” to mean “pre-paid”. It further dilutes an already overloaded word. The marketers who mis-use words like this should not be given aid and comfort by the rest of us.
9 Jan 2013, 8:47 am
I think an example might help illuminate my prior post. One of these things is not like the other:
Andy says: “Chrome is a free browser from Google.” When I hear this, I think “Andy means free as in beer”.
Betty says: “Firefox is a free browser from the Mozilla Foundation.” When I hear this, I think “Betty means free as in speech”.
Carl says: “Internet Explorer is a free browser from Microsoft.” When I hear this, I do not think “Carl means free as in hotel breakfast”. No. I think “Carl is lying to me”.
I wish English did a better job with the first two, but we’re stuck with it. Andy and Betty were not trying to mislead me.
9 Jan 2013, 12:10 pm
Your dispute is well worth it if you think I’m making things more confusing.
However, my goal actually was some degree of sarcasm. The stores are already abusing the word “free” (“free breakfast with every hotel registration” or “enjoy your free ticket provided to you through your continued membership”, etc.). I’m clarifying that what they’re offering should be recognized as intentionally misleading.
Technically, the hotel breakfast is provided at no charge, because you do not need to provide any additional money in order to get the breakfast, and if you decline the breakfast you will gain no additional savings.
However, this is not a generosity to you, for the payment you furnished earlier for the hotel room at large already includes the cost of the breakfast. So it’s free, but not the generous kind of free like someone having you over for a meal and then not asking you for money.
I recognize that by seeing “FREE HOTEL BREAKFAST!” and rolling my eyes, thinking “free as in prepaid”, and dismissing the “deal” unless the room actually is cheaper.
Does that make sense or am I still being unclear and confusing things? I’m definitely open to that conclusion!
9 Jan 2013, 12:56 pm
You forgot to use the pre-discussed sarcasm mark:
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/141/b/a/Dr__House_ascii_by_ibx93.jpg
10 Jan 2013, 6:54 am
This is the bit that I think confuses:
My objection was that free-as-in-prepaid should not be considered a legitimate definition of “free” co-equal with free-as-in-no-charge and free-as-in-unrestrained. Adding the eye-roll is an adequate answer as long as our audience notices the eye-roll.
When the hotel clerk tells me “Breakfast is free”, I know what she means by “free”, but I do not endorse using it that way, and I take it you don’t either. My reaction to such mis-use is to mentally taboo the word and replace the symbol with the subtance. In my mind, I amend the statement to “Breakfast is included”. You seem to be advocating that we keep the word “free” in this context but overload it with a new definition so that we’re not fooled. Certainly not being fooled is the most important thing. But if we can do that by tabooing, I think we’re better off, because when we overload a word with a sarcastic definition, there’s a danger that others will miss the sarcasm.
By the way, I ought to have said this in my first comment: Thanks for this awesome blog!
11 Jan 2013, 1:42 am
I agree with what you’re saying. Let me know if this update makes the essay clearer along the lines we’ve both been talking about.
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Thanks for the compliment!
11 Jan 2013, 9:38 am
Yes, I think it does.