Quote:
Originally Posted by Lbooker
I believe it is a more complex strategy.
First they kill mobipocket.
Then they let epub replace it for a while.
Then they offer their own azw format to all the hardware manufacturers.
Azw being the strongest offering in front of two weaker offerings: the dying mobipocket and the new-born epub.
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Interesting theory - and in the warped corporate-think of many executives based in the US it probably makes sense. But Amazon killing off other formats means monopoly and hence price-fixing opportunities for Amazon in the US, and screws every non-US reader out of a decent selection of eBooks in formats they can access. I think we non-US people are really getting in the rear end in more ways than one here.
Mobipocket is not a great format, but at least it can easily be processed into more readable versions. I prefer FB2, and LIT can also be processed in this way. And frankly so can ADEPT PDF and ePub using the "INEPT" system, but that may become unreliable as the ADEPT DRM evolves. Although, I think what we will see here if ADOBE is rammed down our unwilling gullets, is that the DRM-breakers will swing into full steam and a whole range of non-DRM processing options will appear. And quite frankly, I sincerely hope so - the sooner that happens the sooner we may find eBooks moving more toward the inevitable eMusic model of non-DRM.
And to all those apologists out there who see it as somehow wrong to unlock DRM on eBooks, perhaps you should consider how "wrong" it is to abandon loyal consumers locked into a format, or to kill of consumer choice by trying to become the sole remaining format on the market. This is a war on consumer rights, and we are entitled to defend ourselves.