I managed to successfully delete free files, but they were all added before the 5 year hold was in place.  The .5 was deducted from my account for each one automatically.

WOW! 5 years... what 5 years... when did that go in effect? I thought it was18 months

Not sure exactly.  Maybe within the past year or so?  If you thought it was 18 months then maybe yours were added before the 5 yr. hold too...

I declined the opportunity to give any files free to a commercial organization but I wonder, as the files are free, do you still get any name credits for those free files? If not and if FT refuses to remove the files from their free section on re-payment of 50cents by you, couldn't you just close the FT account and go exclusive with DT but not submit those FT free files to DT? Effectively you would be throwing away those files but if your name is not attached, who is to know that they're yours in in the first place?

The crazy thing about the free files is that FT's original agreement was for 18 months but was changed surreptitiously to 5 years without any form of consultation or signed alternative contract AFAIK. But I could be wrong about that.