There never was such a thing as a free lunch over the Internet. But for a while a determined freeloader could find a Web site that would pick up the tab for all sorts of other goods and services, from computer keyboards to photo developing, in return for little more than looking at a few ads. And the plan to offer stamps at postage4free just didn't stick.
Some services are still free, but with significant new limits.
At other sites, the watchword has changed from free to fee. It's also getting harder to get free shipping when buying from an online store. Even Yahoo, the big, previously free Web portal, has started imposing fees for many aspects of its service and promises many more. And so on. Most sites offering news and information are still free, but a few have started to impose fees, and more are considering doing so.