> It's crazy to prefer free technical books just because they're free.
For deep study, and assuming you can effectively evaluate other relevant qualities of books before committing to one, sure.
OTOH, the first isn't the only thing technical books are useful for, and the second isn't always true of non-free books.
> I'm saying you should just forget about price altogether and choose based on sampling/reviews/recommendations.
Other than personally-trusted sources that are familiar with the area in question, I find reviews/recommendations to be extremely unreliable, and the decline in brick-and-mortar distribution channels, and the frequently poor sampling options for non-free books (digital or hardcopy) in online retailers make that also poor. Free electronic books thus have a significant advantage in the ability to effectively evaluate quality before making a substantial commitment of money or time.
For deep study, and assuming you can effectively evaluate other relevant qualities of books before committing to one, sure.
OTOH, the first isn't the only thing technical books are useful for, and the second isn't always true of non-free books.
> I'm saying you should just forget about price altogether and choose based on sampling/reviews/recommendations.
Other than personally-trusted sources that are familiar with the area in question, I find reviews/recommendations to be extremely unreliable, and the decline in brick-and-mortar distribution channels, and the frequently poor sampling options for non-free books (digital or hardcopy) in online retailers make that also poor. Free electronic books thus have a significant advantage in the ability to effectively evaluate quality before making a substantial commitment of money or time.