I’ve always struggled with convincing others that they should pay for their apps. This peice by Lex Friedman at Macworld gives some great reasons.

a $5 game could bring me hours of fun and a $10 app could boost my productivity in all sorts of ways. I’ll also spend $9 per month on Netflix for the promise of a few hours of entertainment each month, and many will spend $40 to $60 for a console video game. It’s worth spending money on things that can improve your life—even if they don’t come shipped to your home in a cardboard box.

This nails my decision making. If I think there is a chance I will use it for more than a few hours, I’m definitely willing to pay for more than the price of a movie ticket. And a 99 cent app I’ll buy if the any bit of looks interesting.