The Cost of Free

Not a day goes by that I don't see a user saying something like "I need a macro that does this specific function, but it has to be free." Or maybe they say "I need a tutorial teaching me how to do this, but it has to be free." If you are reading this, you are probably using graphics software to produce something for customers. What if those customers came to you and said, "I need you to design me a shirt and it has to be free." Or maybe they say "I need some signage for my business but it has to be free." I'm guessing you would quickly show them the door.

When it comes to information and tools on the Internet, people expect them to be free. Why? It still takes someone or even a group of people to create whatever it is. Web hosting can get quite expensive for a large site.

I'm going to use the example of someone making free tutorials and explain why they aren't really free to you. Yes, you can access the tutorials at no cost. This "free" tutorial site hopes to make money from advertising on the site and they have gone so far as to violate the rules of the advertising network providing the ads. One of the tutorials was a seventeen minute long video. In talking to an expert on the subject, they felt a more productive method could be done in only two minutes. So not only does it take you longer to learn, it teaches you a very inefficient method. If you value your time, this isn't a recommended use of it. In the long run, is that tutorial really free to you? While you may not pay to watch the tutorial, you will pay over and over in the time you waste. We've all heard it before, you get what you pay for. Inefficient method equals inefficient use of time.

I hear complaints from some users that we charge for tutorials. The people creating these tutorials are working artists. They take time away from paying work to create the tutorial and we compensate them for their time. When we receive the content, the tutorial is prepared for publication. That takes my time. Then an editor works over the content. That costs money to pay the editor. If that tutorial saves you even ten minutes a day or it teaches you how to create a cool new effect, isn't it worth something to you? The good news is that I also hear quite often from people who purchase the tutorials about how it was well worth the money. Guess what? Over 80% of the tutorials on our site are free. When authors create a premium tutorial, we charge a small amount for it. Typically the cost is between $5 and $10. If you want the authors to keep creating this high-quality content, I encourage you to support your own learning and support the creators by purchasing the tutorials that address your needs. If you find artwork or a macro that would help you, consider purchasing it and supporting the creators.

Yes, we have advertising on our site. No, it doesn't come close to supporting the cost of everything we provide to users. Yes, we sell products from which we receive a commission. While those earnings are very much appreciated, they don't pay all the bills either. We also offer training products and classes that have a cost to them. We make sure that the value delivered far exceeds the cost.

If you only support free content, don't be surprised when the best content goes away. Also don't be surprised when the producers of that free content start charging because they have to earn money to survive.

View all the tutorials on our site!

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The Weekly Graphics Unleashed Blog Schedule

I told you earlier this week that I would be making some changes to this blog. I've always felt that I didn't post often enough. When something came along, I'd write about it. I just think that I can give you more information on a more regular basis. In order to do this, I've put together a schedule for what to cover on each day of the week. Certainly if there is something really important that comes along, I'll have an additional post on a given day. I'm sure there will be days when I'm just too busy to follow the schedule. For now, my weekly schedule is listed below. I'll start following it on Monday, July 21.

Macro Monday: I'll discuss a useful macro for CorelDRAW and/or Corel PHOTO-PAINT. Heck, it might even be for other software if I feel that it would be useful for many of you.
Tutorial Tuesday: I will search high and low for a tutorial that will teach you something useful about graphics software. It might be something on the Graphics Unleashed site, it might be on another site.
Hump Day Hardware: The last I checked, we all use computers to help us create our graphics. Each Wednesday, I'll focus on a piece of useful computer hardware. It could be something really inexpensive, it could be quite expensive. As long as I feel it would be useful to you.
Thursday Tip: Sure, you'll already get a full-blown tutorial on Tuesday. I'll focus this post on one of those little gems that can take your productivity to the next level.
Font Friday: Does anyone ever have enough fonts? I just don't think it is ever possible to have too many. Early in my career I worked at a font foundry and had access to the whole library. Yet I still wanted more. Most of the time I'll feature a free font, but there may occasionally be a good one with a cost attached.
Weekend Widget: Just like fonts, there is always another useful utility out there. When I get a new computer, I know there are several must-have utilities I install. Some of them are freebies while others have a well-deserved cost.
Sunday Stock: I know you are always looking for clip art, stock photos, templates and more. Sunday I'll find some cool art to tell you all about. Again, some will be freebies, some will have a cost attached.

I'll also try to keep an archive of each subject. So if you want to see a list of all the fonts I've promoted, we'll have that for you.

What do you think of the schedule? Is there a major area I've missed that you would like covered? Over time I know there will be some changes, but I think I've put together a good mixture of topics that will appeal to all users of graphics software.

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More Revived Tutorials

Yesterday I told you about some of our older tutorials that had been revived recently. Today I'll give you a list of three more that have recently been revived.

One of the most common tasks that CorelDRAW users face is converted lousy bitmap logos into vector artwork. The Converting a Bitmap Logo to Vector in CorelDRAW tutorial shows some of the basic techniques on a relatively simple logo.

If you need to draw in isometric views, Constructing Isometric Grid Paper will show you how to set up a grid system for doing it. For the occasional project, this tutorial will definitely get you going in the right direction. If isometric drawing is something you need regularly, check out the EZ Metrics add-on for CorelDRAW that creates isometric views with a single click.

Do you need to print color charts for color matching? Calibrating Your Printed Colors with a Color Chart tells you why it is important to do this and it provides pre-designed palettes you can download plus instructions for creating your own charts automatically.

I'll be away for a few days hosting the CorelDRAW Unleashed User Conference and then I'll return with more revived tutorials and even more goodies! You can expect some blog updates from the conference when I can find a free minute.

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Free Video Tutorial on T-Shirt Template Design

Tom Knight has created a new video tutorial that will teach you to create a t-shirt template in CorelDRAW 11-X4. As Tom goes through the creation of the template, you'll learn about a number of different features in CorelDRAW. So even if you aren't in the business of creating t-shirts, there are a number of tips that you can apply to your workflow.

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