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Originally Posted by dmaul1114
Could be. If Amazon succeed in making the Kindle store the dominate book store--and they're trying like hell by putting Kindle apps on every gadget under the sun--they're format could become dominate.
But not necessarily. Apple's AAC format didn't come to dominate digital music despite iTunes being by far the dominate music store. Once DRM dies it's all moot since it's so easy to format shift when DRM isn't involved.
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Perhaps Amazon will succeed in capturing a huge captive market but most likely the rebellious and down trodden eserfs (such as myself) will likely raise their virtual pitchforks in angst by continuing to loyally support their chosen formats.
Much like Mozilla has done against Microsoft with the Firefox browser and Linux continues to do against Windows, I suspect that many of the now chosen formats and readers will remain as viable. Open Source rebels will dash to the rescue to deny total victory to the Amazonians. In dribs and drabbles enough money will still be spent on non-Amazon/B&N formats to keep things moving in a northerly direction.
I think it is highly likely that the conquerors will have even more minions sitting smartly in the wireless cafes while a shrinking population of we eserfs will labor away in our curtained parlors working feverishly to maintain our own technological status quo. But we will remain and never be vanquished to the way of the Conquerors.
Here's to a hearty hoorah for the heroes who will lead the charge.
"We can't all be heroes. Some of us have to sit on the curb and clap as they go by." - Will Rogers