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Sun, 21 Aug 2005
Rubel asks is the long tail killing paid online services?
I have begun to notice a real shift in my online habits... I unsubscribed from Webshots Premium because I find there's even richer artwork for my desktop (not to mention an array of awesome services) on Flickr. I unsubscribed from Audible because I can get much more interesting spoken word content by downloading podcasts through the iTunes Music Store. I spend much more time reading blogs than I do the Wall Street Journal Online, so I am considering letting my subscription lapse. The Journal put the nail in their own coffin by making the best chunks of their content available for free for bloggers. I still pay for and use Backpack - and I love it, but I also see there are great free alternatives like Tiddlywiki that are getting stronger every day. My frustrations with TypePad's comment moderation tools and slow performance are encouraging me to take a hard look at WordPress - a free blogging tool. What's next? I think my T-Mobile Hotspot subscription could be in danger if Google has its way. Anyone else been dumping paid online services? It's very difficult to survive as a paid service in a Long Tail environment. One reason is that it's now easier to discover free, open source alternatives.
Posted 20:05

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