It is included, the ability to apply the base shader is disabled afaik after the trial period but matfiles that call it still work.  Much like the shader mixer, the free version can read it but can't develop it.  I don't know if you can change settings in the surface tab after applying it with ds3free.  At least this is what NielV has said and I trust him.  I don't have a free version of 3.* installed anywhere to do it myself.  I usually use 2.3 with or without HSS for my development.