[knc1]

Originally Posted by notimp

Hups - a posting went missing. Probably because it was critical about this forum rather engaging in product support on a case by case basis, than to educate their members on any structural issues within the current Amazon distribution system.

More likely reason -
The subject was off-topic for the thread it was posted in.
Not because it was critical of this forum, its members, or the way this forum appears to operate.

Originally Posted by notimp

And because it was critical about this essentially being self exploitive behavior on part of the users in here, who rather would engage in producing detailed step by step instructions for every case, at any time, in any thread, than to engage others to think about why Amazons distribution system is structured this way. ("We are helping you, with jumping through the hoops, others have designed, for free.")

I don't agree with that observation either.

This is, after all, a user support forum.
But we also enjoy being critical of just about any e-book, Amazon, or Lab126 related subject here.

Originally Posted by notimp

Also eschwartzs answer isnt correct as far as Amazons point of view is concerned. Amazon would like you to log into their online interface and specify specifically on which device you want to read an eBook that you want to download on any device that isnt registered to Amazon. The document will then be encrypted with a device specific key, before you can download it on your PC.

No surprises there -
That is just Amazon's continued data-mining of user's habits in the guise of 'market research'.

The legal disclosures in the early Kindles (such as the DX) even disclosed to the user/owner that they would be tracking reading and usage habits.
That disclosure is gone from the newer models, but the data-mining hasn't.

The subject of sending device usage information to Amazon was one of the things which I first joined here to complain about.
And to post ways that the user could control it.
The BBB (Block Big Brother) firewall was, I think, one of the first things I contributed here.

Consider your audience, your preaching to the choir here on this data-mining subject.
But new views are always welcome.

Originally Posted by notimp

This discourages the normal user to use any non Amazon controlled environment for obtaining their books. This is also used so eBook management isnt viable locally (and can only be done via Amazons web interface) - once the first eReader you bought isnt your primary device anymore.

The Amazon controlled environment for personal libraries.
Ah, now there is a topic that will be sure to light a few fires here.

I and others here agree in principle.

I and others here have provided add-ins that would allow the owner/user to choose their own cloud service on which to keep their electronic libraries.
From the feedback received by those postings, we haven't (yet) hit on a mechanism that was popular with the users here.
I.E: Mostly silence.

Originally Posted by notimp

Also, eschwartzs answer isnt correct for the current file format Amazon already is mainly distributing - because there is no way to remove DRM from it.

I was shopping in the Amazon store last night for some (no dollar charge) books to test with,
I did see mentions everywhere Amazon could work them into the text about how they intend to reprocess their e-book offerings to "enable the e-reader features".
Which is true, as far as it goes.
They did not point out that processing will also put the e-books into their (currently) opaque e-book format.

But Amazon can't claim to have invented the self-serving, marketing, statement.

That was probably done by the first used cave, sales person.
(I would have written 'first used wheel sales person' but I imagine that self-serving marketing statements have been around longer than the wheel.)

Originally Posted by notimp

Right now this forum doesn't care to recognize this, because Amazon considered PCs (the K4PC environment) to be legacy devices - to which they only distribute their old file formats - from which you can still strip the DRM.

I can not agree with that.

I think better said would be:
"because no one bothered to start a thread on the subject"

This site even has a forum for such troll bait, see "the lounge" forum.

Originally Posted by notimp

Structurally it is impossible that this way of circumventing Amazons lock in can be prolonged in the medium term future - because "understanding the new eBooks" will only be something that a handful of people at Amazon itself will be able to/have to care about - because in the new paradigm, they will be the only ones that still will be able to produce eBooks.

I have to disagree again.

I think that is forming conclusions before having the discussion.

I also think it is an incorrect conclusion from a technical point of view.
So far, Amazon has only made it difficult and time consuming.

The SoC that they have been using has hardware to support 'impossible' to crack, not just 'difficult' or 'impractical' to crack and they are not using it.

Originally Posted by notimp

Getting product support, without being educated on the processes, can be done on reddit just as well. Also - it moves this community from being motivated by self interest to be motivated by whatever emotional payoff still is possible for its members solving customer support problems for Amazons customers. Like it already took place in this thread.

Once again, this is primarily a support forum.
It should not be a surprise that we concentrate on user support here.

Originally Posted by notimp

No one has said, that starting to realize what it means to run a community like this in the age where Amazon also has a monopoly on production and distribution, would consist of a friendly surface discussion. Its going to be rough.

Threads are cheap here, push the button and start any topic you care to.

Originally Posted by notimp

And censorship already is used to remove critical aspects from the discussion, when it cuts into this - first and foremost - being a platform, where people look for personal support from others for free. Regardless of subforum, or topic. And them being helped out in ways - that dont promote a deeper understanding of the structural causes of the problems they are having.

It isn't censorship - it is just trying to keep a widely subscribed to thread on-topic.

Originally Posted by notimp

I think this has been a fair assessment.

Well, at least no more one-sided than Amazon's position.