Who is whining about it being free? blink

Just saying without documentation (in any form) I wouldn't pay $400 for it, and I didn't. Wouldn't even consider $50. Learned my lesson last time, with DS3A. (And I paid a lot more that $1.99 for it.)

Free or not, I don't think making it free (regardless) was a good move. Especially not for a whole month. A day might not have upset the apple cart too much, but a month definitely will.
Sure, a lot of people will go and download it, but I don't think there will be many converts.
Those who really want to use DS4 probably already do. Those who really don't want to use DS4 will already use something else. (Poser, Carrara, Cinema 4d etc etc)
I doubt many go beyond the initial install, if that. Some will upgrade the version they already have. Some will really like the software and continue using it.
My guess is, most won't.
But it'll snag a lot of newbies.

It always makes me shake my head when I see "The most popular 3D program" (based on downloads on CNet) If you stuck a free cutdown version of 3DS Max on CNet, which didn't have watermarks on renders and such things... give you three guesses what would be the most downloaded 3D App on there.
If it were the "Most popular" by units sold -- then I'm impressed. Free downloads? When you have to redownload every version completely for any incremental updates? Well hey...no brainer in the numbers game, right there. It's bound to artificially inflate the numbers.

I'm sorry those who bought it not even 6 months ago got stung. Badly. I'd be very annoyed.
And I'm happy that those who really wanted the "higher version" could get it for free.
Most of us, who can't be bothered about whether DS lives or dies...well, we're just not bothered either way, whether it's free, or costs $1000. :)

Silke