Free or not?

Please could we have some clarity on my question?
If a pattern is Free to download on a website but over time the pattern is taken down and is no longer avaiable there (but could be available for free on the www)

The pattern is then uploaded to PINDY - does this still make it a FREE pattern or is it now seen as a paid for pattern on this site?

BoingBoing

Free: the company/designer shared it for free on their official channels (like their website, social media, Ravelry shop, etc.)
Not free: somebody else shared it on another site, like Pinterest or Vk, etc.

If it is not available from the original source anymore, but it is obvious that it was distributed for free by the designer (for example it literally says "free pattern" on the cover or something), it is still a good practice to treat it as free; if theres no real trace of it for being free when it was available, then it is not free. The only thing relevant here is whether the designer made it free or not, as far as the rules are concerned. The pricing of a presumably not free pattern one had stumbled upon somewhere while browsing is completely up to the individuals conscience (within the permitted range, of course).

Duckeyd

If you download it for free then it is still free on the forum and maximum price is still 10 gc