The fact that so much innovation is given away for free does not only create a measurement problem for economists; it is also a real problem for those trying to find investment opportunities. In the good old days of the post-World War II boom, if you wanted an air conditioner, a car, or a newspaper, you had to buy one, making it possible for producers to earn money by providing them.
而如此多的创新都是免费提供的事实不仅仅为经济学家带来了测量方面的难题；同时也为那些尝试寻找投资机会的人造成了困扰。在二战后高速发展的那段好时光里，如果你想要一台空调，一辆汽车或一份报纸，你就必须付钱，而生产商就可以通过提供这些产品来获得利润。