If you plan to go to a dinner party in the next year, you'll need an opinion on "Free! ", the new book being written by Chris Anderson, author of "The Long Tail ". It's about how companies can make fortunes by giving stuff away. Google are the classic example of the power of free: They make $4bn profit a year, but almost everything they do is free. Chris says: "$0.00 Is the Future of Business "

How does it work? It's no mystery how Google makes profits: Computer power and storage gets cheaper every month, and Google sell enormous amounts of advertising. But Chris Anderson also looks at baffling almost-free companies like Ryanair. How can they sell a flight to Barcelona, which costs them £35, for only £10? The answer, of course, is a mixture of crazy extra charges, expensive bottled water and the fact that some people will pay £170 for the same flight.

What does it all mean? Chris Anderson looks forward to a time when lots more things are free: cinemas, the tube, video game consoles. And yes, he's planning a free edition of his book, filled with ads, when it's released sometime in 2009.

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