I wonder if the free tier that appeals largely to enthusiasts and nerds also helps as a lead generation process. That seems like a reasonable business strategy

I wonder if the free tier that appeals largely to enthusiasts and nerds also helps as a lead generation process. That seems like a reasonable business strategy. Software companies have long offered heavily discounted products to home and educational users, or simply turned a blind eye to piracy within those demographics. Then everyone leaves school and equates "word processor" and "spreadsheet" with Microsoft Office, "graphics program" with Adobe Creative Suite, etc. These days a lot of those big players seem to be trying to pull in more direct revenue from those markets with lower-priced versions of their subscription offerings instead, but that doesn't mean their previous business model wasn't good for them.