Bloomsbury's Free eBooks

Bloomsbury plans to release a series of science-related books, including a free online version of each. They've begun with Larry Lessig's Remix. What's interesting is that they've included their rough breakeven numbers in this Guardian interview:

Pinter estimates that Bloomsbury would have to sell around 200 copies of a highly technical monograph, priced at around £50, to make a profit, but a more commercial title with a wider appeal and a lower price point would need to sell around 2,000 copies to be worthwhile. "We believe there are enough people who are willing to purchase a hard copy that we will sell enough physical books to meet our needs, to cover our costs and make a modest profit," she said. "But we won't be able to judge whether [the model is] financially viable for the next two years."