&gt;&quot;free software&quot; -as in the use of the term &quot;free&quot; I might ask someone else to complete but I think is not referred to the cost of producing or delivering it to you but the access to the underlying source code and the ability to change it.<p>It can refer to both and more.<p>&gt;The thing is that the 5 secs you spent looking at an ad when you went to youtube to search for XYZ was not what you wanted <i>but the price you paid for the free video service</i> (because you didn&#x27;t pay for XYZ video creation, nor for youtube infrastructure that serves that video, nor for google service behind to perform the search).<p>This is either post hoc rationalization or bullshit ad marketer speak.<p>You cannot claim, &quot;oh, you watched the ad? you just paid for it!&quot;, unless a contract was in place before the ad was watched.<p>You are describing something more akin to exploitation.