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notimp · 10-30-2015, 02:16 PM

I try to sum up most aspects in my response without using direct quotes as it reduces readability on those long answers.

Yes - "everything can be hacked" is something that comes from experience. No, not everything will be hacked eventually (There are many examples of it out there, even in the consumer space).

I never buy into the savior parable of - if we suffer (implied: long enough) "he will come" - eventually, and explain to us - the workings of .kfx (and any future file format from now on) - and I see a problem even in those time intervals where -

feature parity - cant be secured for open (or reverse engineered) formats. When compatibility in calibre breaks (always "with the current file format"), you can start counting the days it will still be used by users who mainly care about "a thing that works". In an ecosystem that is designed to be a closed garden, and .kfx auto delivered. ("First go to the online interface, then...")

But thats not the meat of the argument - which is that Amazon has done something substantially different - beginning with .kfx and that is to restrict distribution on any tools used to create the file format - DRMed or not. This has not begun with the _silent_ release of .kfx (the books just appeared the day after the press release, no preliminary lead time), but with Amazon not seeding the production tools in the months before.

The process changed.

Control was handed over by publishers to the distributer, and the distributer only - when it comes to the right and the ability to create an eBook. This allows Amazon to iterate much faster, potentially shrinking the period any hack can restore - feature parity.

Amazon also "autoupdates" eBooks on Kindles - so distribution of new formats ("acceptance") is swift as well.

So discussion quickly moves into the territory of "old formats are good enough" - mainly, because we still understand them. Which also plays into the notion of "hurray, we dont have to learn anything new" - which in technology always has turned out to be the side of the argument you want to be on. *taptaptap*

Distribution does the rest. Once there are mainly .kfx books out there, and they at least are identifiable "by their features" - of course, then we will have a discussion - and decide, that *dang it* it has become the standard in electronic book publishing. And only Amazon can produce it. Well - how about, we go with them then - oh well, thats convenient, because we have no choice..

Want your books to be readable (gap spacing, hyphenation, ...) sign over your rights to create them in the first place.

Amazon controls, for example, but not limited to: File integrity, final layout, date of publishing (at least priorities), ...
-

K4PC and Amazons online interface being the vectors primarily used by "non Kindle owning, no tablet owning, no phone owing customers who buy Amazons eBooks" is basically like saying - there is no deep integration between software and hardware going on at Amazon - if you are coming to it from a Linux desktop ("runs fine on wine") still using Firefox. Its a lense that distorts (maybe a bit strong) your view. Its the reverse of the "if the customer uses a Macbook, hike prices up by 10% in your search results" approach.

Online interface and K4PC are interchangeable in my argument above - and both can be controlled by Amazon as they see fit.

Including but not limited to: access, formats, discoverability, user experience....

Having a monopoly on producing, distributing and selling eBooks into your controlled environments (devices or software "players") and having control over how big the piracy side of the market can get, is pretty much a market lock down. Also you are controlling innovation on the sector.

While the public will do your support work for free.

This is the future. Where can I sign up...? Sarcasm. Sneaky. Again.
-

So on to the final point - the social implications of eBooks only being a monopolistically dispersed form of sharing humankinds thoughts, dreams and reflections - tightly controlled by one entity alone (with an affinity for on demand media ("Let me look at how you read that, ..") and recommendation algorithms). Nope. I got nothing.... Dont see the problem. Books, a pair of shoes - looks like an orange to me. Go wildcats!

Sarcasm. Again.

Boy, those publishers sure are NOT smart, arent they...

10-30-2015, 02:16 PM	#40
notimp Addict Posts: 248 Karma: 892441 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: K2i	I try to sum up most aspects in my response without using direct quotes as it reduces readability on those long answers. Yes - "everything can be hacked" is something that comes from experience. No, not everything will be hacked eventually (There are many examples of it out there, even in the consumer space). I never buy into the savior parable of - if we suffer (implied: long enough) "he will come" - eventually, and explain to us - the workings of .kfx (and any future file format from now on) - and I see a problem even in those time intervals where - feature parity - cant be secured for open (or reverse engineered) formats. When compatibility in calibre breaks (always "with the current file format"), you can start counting the days it will still be used by users who mainly care about "a thing that works". In an ecosystem that is designed to be a closed garden, and .kfx auto delivered. ("First go to the online interface, then...") But thats not the meat of the argument - which is that Amazon has done something substantially different - beginning with .kfx and that is to restrict distribution on any tools used to create the file format - DRMed or not. This has not begun with the _silent_ release of .kfx (the books just appeared the day after the press release, no preliminary lead time), but with Amazon not seeding the production tools in the months before. The process changed. Control was handed over by publishers to the distributer, and the distributer only - when it comes to the right and the ability to create an eBook. This allows Amazon to iterate much faster, potentially shrinking the period any hack can restore - feature parity. Amazon also "autoupdates" eBooks on Kindles - so distribution of new formats ("acceptance") is swift as well. So discussion quickly moves into the territory of "old formats are good enough" - mainly, because we still understand them. Which also plays into the notion of "hurray, we dont have to learn anything new" - which in technology always has turned out to be the side of the argument you want to be on. taptaptap Distribution does the rest. Once there are mainly .kfx books out there, and they at least are identifiable "by their features" - of course, then we will have a discussion - and decide, that dang it it has become the standard in electronic book publishing. And only Amazon can produce it. Well - how about, we go with them then - oh well, thats convenient, because we have no choice.. Want your books to be readable (gap spacing, hyphenation, ...) sign over your rights to create them in the first place. Amazon controls, for example, but not limited to: File integrity, final layout, date of publishing (at least priorities), ... - K4PC and Amazons online interface being the vectors primarily used by "non Kindle owning, no tablet owning, no phone owing customers who buy Amazons eBooks" is basically like saying - there is no deep integration between software and hardware going on at Amazon - if you are coming to it from a Linux desktop ("runs fine on wine") still using Firefox. Its a lense that distorts (maybe a bit strong) your view. Its the reverse of the "if the customer uses a Macbook, hike prices up by 10% in your search results" approach. Online interface and K4PC are interchangeable in my argument above - and both can be controlled by Amazon as they see fit. Including but not limited to: access, formats, discoverability, user experience.... Having a monopoly on producing, distributing and selling eBooks into your controlled environments (devices or software "players") and having control over how big the piracy side of the market can get, is pretty much a market lock down. Also you are controlling innovation on the sector. While the public will do your support work for free. This is the future. Where can I sign up...? Sarcasm. Sneaky. Again. - So on to the final point - the social implications of eBooks only being a monopolistically dispersed form of sharing humankinds thoughts, dreams and reflections - tightly controlled by one entity alone (with an affinity for on demand media ("Let me look at how you read that, ..") and recommendation algorithms). Nope. I got nothing.... Dont see the problem. Books, a pair of shoes - looks like an orange to me. Go wildcats! Sarcasm. Again. Boy, those publishers sure are NOT smart, arent they... Last edited by notimp; 10-30-2015 at 03:11 PM.