Comment by bigstrat2003

> Just because you extract the price from your users in a different denomination/method than ordinary dollars, doesn't mean it's 'free'

That is, in fact, what it means. "Free" (in the transaction sense) means you didn't pay money for it. Just because Krispy Kreme hopes you buy some donuts while you're in the store doesn't make the loss leader donut not free. Just because Google gets something other than money from the deal doesn't mean that the product isn't free.