Kind of off topic, and it has been answered already many times.
The jist of it is : the providing part of the deal is problematic. We, the People provide...hum...in an irregular fashion. When we do we tend to all bring the same softs to the table, the most popular and not too expensive. We download often and a lot have no problem paying even a small amount in order to download and test before buying<.Financing the providing is resolved through the links that remain free - albeit slower - if you really can't afford it but for the ones that can afford it, well they end up providing softwares indirectly even if they don't want to. Problem solved
It's also why runners use this type of links and request no mirror to be used in their threads.

Now that's acceptable because the money provided by the links are reinjected in the system.
Which is not what other websites do regarding paid links.
That's at least what I've understood of the whole thing.

 

Difference of opinion??

 

It's all about...

free image hosting