Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonist
Hm, you might be totally missing the larger issue here, which goes way beyond the plaintiff's homework....
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The larger issue? Wow, we might loose some books and get our money back, maybe even after having read them...How can I ever again sleep at night
I agree, it will be interesting to raise questions about DRM, owning/purchasing or only renting content and issues like that.
But does anyone actually believe, we're at the brink of a monotheistic dominance of global corporate, controlling our knowledge/education?
Of course, Amazon aims for market dominance. And of course they try to force their business model onto us.
But what's actually the problem?
They took the content and might do it again. Okay, maybe we're better off, just using USB and switching off Whispernet.
Most likely you can return your Kindle, if "without Whispernet" is not an option for you.
But concerning the specific case, there's no harm. Of course everyone will have his money back.
So, obviously it's not about "loosing the book", it's about Amazon invading our privacy, accessing our readers without our consent.
But does this actually surprise anyone? I've read, Kindle has GPS and they know where you are.
So, purchasing from eBay and using it in Germany, I ALWAYS was aware, they simply might brick my unit via firmwareupdate, rendering all units outside US useless. Well, either I take that risk or I can't purchase any Kindle.
Same applies to Whispernet. They provide it without additional costs. They could cancel it anytime without warning. Again, it's totally up to me: I can use Whispernet, very well knowing they will force their philosophy onto me, as it's their technology and -again- they provide it without any additional costs. Or I decide against it and they can't do a thing.
So, from now one we can prepare. Whispernet might be a convenience (can't use it here anyway), but it may come for a price.
The only real annoyance is, we didn't know before. Did this actually cause any harm?
For me, it's all kind of similar to Windows Update. Lots of my friends don't use it, because they're worried, MS might check what they have installed on their PCs. It's not legal, but who knows?
So, either I use it, very well knowing, something might go wrong. Maybe they could plant a program, which renders illegal Office installations useless? Or I decide against the risk and don't connect.
As long as you can switch off Windows update or Whispernet, where's the problem?
And finally concerning Amazon's ethics and behavior:
I guess they simply had to stick to deadlines. And they had to prove, there aren't any copies on Kindles around anymore.
What they've done, probably was the fastest way, instead of informing all buyers and discussing, whether those would be willing to accept a credit note and delete the book.
Maybe there even was a court order? Something as "if Amazon informs their buyers, they easily could make backup copies on their PCs. So Amazon HAS to delete the books from the readers". (And maybe even they had to make sure, backups can't be used any more? Maybe next firmware update will contain a "killer" for those backup files, uploaded afterwards from PC?).
And there even are intense discussions, whether one actually even owns eBooks. Or whether one just obtains the right to read them - a right which can be cancelled anytime.
AND: I'm pretty sure, you would be able to return your Kindle, referencing to having lost your trust. Most likely all of us have a simple choice: Purchase Kindle and use Whispernet, provided "for free" and follow Amazon's lead. Or don't purchase it respectively return it.....Or purchase it but don't use Whispernet. It's still fully workable without Whispernet (tons of Kindles have been sold outside of the US) and Amazon's competition doesn't have it anyway.