A California-based company said yesterday that it will distribute 10,000 free personal computers to consumers who agree to divulge personal data and receive advertising messages on their monitors. Free-PC, Inc., will deliver Compaq PCs with free email and Internet access over the next few months to consumers who plan to use the computer for at least 10 hours a month. "Set-top cable boxes have been free for a long time, and now cell phones are virtually free. For the first time, Free-PC is making the personal computer free," said entrepreneur Bill Gross, owner of Free-PC.

In exchange for providing information about themselves, qualified applicants will be able to keep the free PC for two years.

The fees paid by advertisers to reach consumers will subsidise the costs of the computers, estimated at less than 1,000 dollars each, Gross explained.

Consumers can apply for a free computer online at www.free-pc.com.