Open Source vs. Closed Source

This Microsoft thing makes me think … Given identical products, an open source product actually ought to be more expensive, not less, than a closed source variant.

Why? Because you get so much more than just the software. You get the right to use it throughout your organization, once you’ve gotten hold of a single copy; you get complete freedom of choice with regards to vendors to support you; and if the software doesn’t do what you want, you can hire anyone you feel like to fix it for you.

So why does open source software so frequently get confused with free-as-in-beer?