MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - How the e-book landscape is becoming a walled garden

Redcard · 03-05-2012, 10:48 PM

I don't get how it's going to be a walled garden. I can go to five or six sites and read fiction right now that I'll never see in a bookstore. Well edited fiction. On some of those sites, I push a button, and I can get the stories as Mobi, or Epub, or txt, or html, or rtf files.

I know of multiple authors that have set up their own personal websites, and I've purchased many of their ebooks.

I know open source devs who have hacked every tablet that has come out, including some that have gone so far as to hack EINK tablets. I expect (if not already) , we will soon see plans online for open source hardware based eink and LCD readers. You'll be able to , for free, download plans, software, and purchase the components on your own. There will be people to put these together for low costs for you.

I cannot see how this is going to be a walled garden. It's just not possible anymore.

Even if Amazon walls their device off 100%, I can HACK an android tablet. In months, I'll be able to download plans to MAKE one.

03-05-2012, 10:48 PM	#43
Redcard Addict Posts: 235 Karma: 1202269 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Kindle	I don't get how it's going to be a walled garden. I can go to five or six sites and read fiction right now that I'll never see in a bookstore. Well edited fiction. On some of those sites, I push a button, and I can get the stories as Mobi, or Epub, or txt, or html, or rtf files. I know of multiple authors that have set up their own personal websites, and I've purchased many of their ebooks. I know open source devs who have hacked every tablet that has come out, including some that have gone so far as to hack EINK tablets. I expect (if not already) , we will soon see plans online for open source hardware based eink and LCD readers. You'll be able to , for free, download plans, software, and purchase the components on your own. There will be people to put these together for low costs for you. I cannot see how this is going to be a walled garden. It's just not possible anymore. Even if Amazon walls their device off 100%, I can HACK an android tablet. In months, I'll be able to download plans to MAKE one.