--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's widely assumed that you can't…" description: "\"It's widely assumed that you can't compete with free, and that seems like a reasonable thing to think. But this has not been my experience.\" — John Per..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/john-perry-barlow-9208_assumed_it-s-widely-assumed-that-you-can-t-compe_3083478.jpg" --- # It's widely assumed that you can't compete with free, and… ![“It's widely assumed that you can't compete with free, and that seems like a reasonable thing to think. But this has not been my experience.” quote by John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/john-perry-barlow-9208_assumed_it-s-widely-assumed-that-you-can-t-compe_3083478.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/john-perry-barlow-9208_assumed_it-s-widely-assumed-that-you-can-t-compe_3083478.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f8/john-perry-barlow-9208_assumed_it-s-widely-assumed-that-you-can-t-compe_3083478.jpg) > “It's widely assumed that you can't compete with free, and that seems like a reasonable thing to think. But this has not been my experience.” [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Challenges the belief that free alternatives cannot compete with paid ones, based on personal experience. **In simple terms:** Free can compete with paid. Key Takeaway Consider how free options can be viable competitors. Themes economics competition digital rights Mood optimistic critical Type inspirational pragmatic When to use this quote - business models - software development - content creation - policy making Key Concepts market dynamics open source consumer choice Questions to Reflect On - What factors make free services succeed? - How do paid models maintain advantage? A Different Perspective Free offerings may lack resources for scaling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assumed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumed/) [Assumed Compete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumed-compete-5270181/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Compete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compete/) [Compete Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compete-free-1669914/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-like-538400/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Reasonable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reasonable/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Widely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/widely/) [Widely Assumed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/widely-assumed-5270182/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [The marketers can compete with free; it just has to be better. Look at bottled water if you don't believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-potter/the-marketers-can-compete-with-free-it-just-has-to-be-better-look-at/) [Jonathan Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-potter/) > [“7. Sooner or later you will compete with free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-anderson/7-sooner-or-later-you-will-compete-with-free/) [Chris Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-anderson/) > [It turns out that there is something that can compete with free: easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-turns-out-that-there-is-something-that-can-compete-with-free-easy/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [This is tremendous. The labels have been saying all along that they can't compete with free, but there is a way to compete with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-potter/this-is-tremendous-the-labels-have-been-saying-all-along-that-they/) [Jonathan Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-potter/) > [Free is to be free. Like the eagles soaring in the sky without any restrictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/free-is-to-be-free-like-the-eagles-soaring-in-the-sky-without-any/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [I'm THAT complicated, mysterious, yet content with the simple things in life. Don't try to understand me; you won't figure me out. But you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/i-m-that-complicated-mysterious-yet-content-with-the-simple-things-in/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [I want to live my life with no goals anymore, but just completely free, like I did when I was younger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/i-want-to-live-my-life-with-no-goals-anymore-but-just-completely-free/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [“Run wild and free like a waterfall”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anamika-mishra/run-wild-and-free-like-a-waterfall/) [Anamika Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anamika-mishra/) > [“She was free, still, like a child, the way it is before you are seen and then after that you can never remember who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/she-was-free-still-like-a-child-the-way-it-is-before-you-are-seen-and/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [You are free to do whatever you like. You need only face the consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-b-kopp/you-are-free-to-do-whatever-you-like-you-need-only-face-the/) [Sheldon B. Kopp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-b-kopp/) > [I want to be free again. I want to be free like when I was a kid, working with my brother and making toy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-want-to-be-free-again-i-want-to-be-free-like-when-i-was-a-kid/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [If you're too free, you're like the way Hong Kong is now. It's very chaotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/if-you-re-too-free-you-re-like-the-way-hong-kong-is-now-it-s-very/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I felt really free, like I could do anything, because no one would know what to expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-felt-really-free-like-i-could-do-anything-because-no-one-would-know/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I must be free... free to do what I like, say what I like, write what I like, within the limits prescribed for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-must-be-free-free-to-do-what-i-like-say-what-i-like-write-what-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't imagine,if you walked away by my side..i think I'll be free,like so free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/i-can-t-imagine-if-you-walked-away-by-my-side-i-think-i-ll-be-free/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) ## More by John Perry Barlow > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [“the first responsibility of a human being is to be a better ancestor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/the-first-responsibility-of-a-human-being-is-to-be-a-better-ancestor/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [Our universities are so determined to impose tolerance that they'll expel you for saying what you think and never notice the irony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/our-universities-are-so-determined-to-impose-tolerance-that-they-ll/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [You do not know our culture, our ethics, or the unwritten codes that already provide our society more order than could be obtained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/you-do-not-know-our-culture-our-ethics-or-the-unwritten-codes-that/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [The real issue is control. The Internet is too widespread to be easily dominated by any single government. By creating a seamless global economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/the-real-issue-is-control-the-internet-is-too-widespread-to-be-easily/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I don't know that I believe in the supernatural, but I do believe in miracles, and our time together was filled with the events…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-don-t-know-that-i-believe-in-the-supernatural-but-i-do-believe-in/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I'm a member of that half of the human race which is inclined to divide the human race into two kinds of people. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-m-a-member-of-that-half-of-the-human-race-which-is-inclined-to/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I ... believe that angels, or something like them, sometimes live among us, hidden within our fellow human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-believe-that-angels-or-something-like-them-sometimes-live-among-us/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I think that humor is part of what saves us from despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-think-that-humor-is-part-of-what-saves-us-from-despair/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I personally think intellectual property is an oxymoron. Physical objects have a completely different natural economy than intellectual goods. It's a tricky thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/i-personally-think-intellectual-property-is-an-oxymoron-physical/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [Any powerful technology has sauce for the goose and the gander... It's just an extension of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/any-powerful-technology-has-sauce-for-the-goose-and-the-gander-it-s/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [Art is a service, not a product. Created beauty is a relationship, and a relationship with the Holy at that. Reducing such work to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/art-is-a-service-not-a-product-created-beauty-is-a-relationship-and-a/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [We will create a civilization of the Mind in Cyberspace. May it be more humane and fair than the world your governments have made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/we-will-create-a-civilization-of-the-mind-in-cyberspace-may-it-be/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [Incompetence is a double-edged banana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/incompetence-is-a-double-edged-banana/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [The first serious infowar is now engaged. The field of battle is WikiLeaks. You are the troops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/the-first-serious-infowar-is-now-engaged-the-field-of-battle-is/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Explore all 74 John Perry Barlow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) ## More Assumed quotes > [“If I didn't say anything, people always assumed the worst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fight-club/if-i-didn-t-say-anything-people-always-assumed-the-worst/) [Fight club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fight-club/) > [We assumed the customers were smart and that they'll buy what they like, not what the ads tell them to buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renzo-rosso/we-assumed-the-customers-were-smart-and-that-they-ll-buy-what-they/) [Renzo Rosso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renzo-rosso/) > [I always assumed that, like my mother before me, one day I would have children. When I was 5, my fantasy was to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-cattrall/i-always-assumed-that-like-my-mother-before-me-one-day-i-would-have/) [Kim Cattrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-cattrall/) > [When I don't have a girlfriend, who I am answerable to, I can go out and hang with people. But whether you go for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-kapoor/when-i-don-t-have-a-girlfriend-who-i-am-answerable-to-i-can-go-out/) [Shahid Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-kapoor/) > [That which He has not assumed He has not healed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-of-nazianzus/that-which-he-has-not-assumed-he-has-not-healed/) [Gregory of Nazianzus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-of-nazianzus/) > [I first picked up a violin aged five - I just assumed everyone played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/i-first-picked-up-a-violin-aged-five-i-just-assumed-everyone-played/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [“In Sweden, everyone is assumed to have similar resources, so it seems inappropriate to pay for someone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-johansson-robinowitz/in-sweden-everyone-is-assumed-to-have-similar-resources-so-it-seems/) [Christina Johansson Robinowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-johansson-robinowitz/) > [I'd assumed that a deal was a deal when Princeton admitted me, but I was wrong. The price of getting in - to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/i-d-assumed-that-a-deal-was-a-deal-when-princeton-admitted-me-but-i/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [People have always assumed that I am privileged. And that has been a problem sometimes. When I first started modelling, and I was schlepping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-guinness/people-have-always-assumed-that-i-am-privileged-and-that-has-been-a/) [Jasmine Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-guinness/) > [“Abashed, should assumed its place in the list of what could be accomplished, what couldn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mnookin/abashed-should-assumed-its-place-in-the-list-of-what-could-be/) [Wendy Mnookin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mnookin/) > [“Jax turned to Jove. “She’s mine. Don’t assign her anywhere else.”“I already assumed as much, darling,” Jove replied.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandria-clarke/jax-turned-to-jove-she-s-mine-don-t-assign-her-anywhere-else-i/) [Alexandria Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandria-clarke/) > [Before I started Coffee of Grace, I assumed all coffee came from Latin America or Indonesia. I wasn't familiar with African coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-hightower/before-i-started-coffee-of-grace-i-assumed-all-coffee-came-from-latin/) [Grace Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-hightower/) > [Historians once assumed that when childhood mortality was high, people must not have loved their children very much; it would have been too painful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/historians-once-assumed-that-when-childhood-mortality-was-high-people/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [You know when you read that someone has to leave a show or a tour because they had 'nervous exhaustion'? Well, I had one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-johansen/you-know-when-you-read-that-someone-has-to-leave-a-show-or-a-tour/) [David Johansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-johansen/) > [There's been more than one time when I've said something, and sort of the middle of what I've said is not said but thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/there-s-been-more-than-one-time-when-i-ve-said-something-and-sort-of/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) [Browse all 159 Assumed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assumed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's widely assumed that you can't compete with free, and that seems like a reasonable thing to think. 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