[eschwartz]

I am not going to go through a point-by-point of each place where you have assumed we have seen the same proofs you take for granted (and thus, we doubt exists). knc1 has already done that.

Here are the points I would like to make:

Originally Posted by notimp

Amazon creating a new book format only they can produce and distribute, and controlling every aspect from layout to inherent properties (DRM gets pushed onto public domain books) to the date it is published, should be seen as an attempt to get exclusive benefits (forms of ownership) over the eBook medium as well.

This doesn't really fit in with the previous claims/comparisons which you made.
There, you were discussing the idea of kicking out competitors from your own sales platform (common business sense).
But when it comes to ebooks, Amazon has never had competition on their Kindle Store platform. And they have always allowed, and still allow, sideloading books.

Oh, well, you can't sideload KFX purchased elsewhere. I think I have already mentioned that that only matters if you care about KFX. Which isn't a given.

In addition to the fact that ebook exclusivity simply isn't affected by KFX, you also haven't explained why I should think content sellers offering exclusive content and features should be considered a bad thing.

Now - back to the quality aspect. Because Amazon doesnt want to carry the risk that comes with really running an online library for example, they look at new ways to structure value - that are more in their favor. If you lend a book for example, in this new economy, this shouldnt count as having shown a token of interest - instead Amazon wants to pay by pages read. Presumably - because their metrics show, that on eReaders that would shift the value more towards the popular selfpublishing topics - that is - markets they already own.

I'm sorry, you've completely lost me here.

Aren't libraries government-run, non-profit services for the public benefit?
Not really sure what that has to do with Amazon, or why they'd want to run one.

And paying by pages read is something only applicable for their subscription service. How is that shifting value away from the tradpub market?
(People who subscribe to Kindle Unlimited are not the same people who usually buy tradpub books. They tend to be people who have been buying, or are at least amenable to buying, indie books.)

And I am really confused about what this has to do with the hardware E-Ink devices as a vehicle of vertical integration/monopoly.

...

I said before, if you want to discuss the suitability and usefulness of KFX as a modern ebook format, go discuss it in the Kindle Formats forum please.
So I'll say now, if you want to discuss the politics of indie publishing and Amazon's subscription services, go discuss it in the General Discussions forum. We (MobileRead) have already discussed the topic there in depth -- and in the News forum -- but I am sure people will be willing to discuss it further.

I think it is pretty unfair of you to come to the Kindle Developer's Corner, set up a conversation, based on your first post which started this and which I split into its own thread:

You all missed another important discussion here already - perhaps, because you are looking so intently at the "service" part - when you are discussing what this community provides -

That amazon now controls

- the format (proprietary nature of kfx (format))
- the distribution (only Amazon can distribute kfx)
and
- production (only Amazon can produce kfx)

really warrants a discussion, that did not take place in here at all.

and then end up discussing Amazon in ways that really have nothing to do with our subforum at all.
We don't *do* Kindle Unlimited, sales metrics, indiepub politics, or anything of that extended ilk here.

...

Now I understand from the tone of some things you said previously, that you feel I as a moderator am trying to shut you down.
So this time, I will clarify.

I am not saying this as a moderator.
In fact, I will not be acting as a moderator here. I am part of the discussion, I am biased, therefore if I think moderator action needs to be taken in this thread, I will report it and have someone else take care of it, who isn't involved.
(Okay, I will probably feel comfortable enforcing the limits on image posting size, should there be such a need.)

And I may do just that -- act on my rights as a MobileRead plebeian to request moderator action and possibly have this thread moved/closed/patrolled-for-on-topicness -- if I as a MobileRead plebeian continue to feel people are playing fast and loose with the topic of this subforum.

Anyone who feels that way could do so, and I suspect I may not be the only one who is feeling somewhat lost at the general non-applicability of some of the things you have brought up. But I may be the only one who has vocalized that -- yet.
EDIT: hi dickloraine