Amazon is nobody's friend

[Ken Irving]

ADE is only free for the end user, it's far from free for libraries.

Well of course DRM content servers cost money to run for those who must use them to sell or lend ebooks, but that's irrelevant to the question I was addressing.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

Amazon made a system that can remotely erase data from another person's device without the approval of that person. That doesn't happen by accident.

I believe Google, Amazon, HP, RIM, Microsoft and Apple all have that technology in their OSes and hardware, but to date only Google and Amazon have actually pulled the trigger on it.

[ATimson]

Originally Posted by frahse

Amazon is the consumer's friend.

If Amazon were really my friend, they would've stuck to their guns on banning Macmillan's print titles, rather than surrendering the ability to sell ebooks on friendly-to-everybody-but-the-publisher terms.

[ATimson]

Originally Posted by stonetools

People have been calling for Amazon to switch formats, but unfortunately those folks have never offered a good BUSINESS reason ( rather than technical or aesthetic reasons) why Amazon should switch. Not surprisingly, it hasn't switched.

Increased sales from people like me who want to buy from Amazon but find getting the highest quality book more important than the vendor?

[ATimson]

Originally Posted by tompe

From Wikipedia: In August 2006, Amazon stopped selling DRMed PDF and .LIT format ebooks. Customers were unable to download purchased ebooks 30 days after that date, losing access to their purchased content on new devices.

That may be true for PDFs (I don't know if they were tied to the machine or to an Adobe account at that point). But it's patently untrue for the .LIT books; as long as the user still has the file, it still works on new machines.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Hmmm, what about the time they started pulling LGBT books without any reason?

I remembered that I meant to comment on this earlier, but couldn't find it on a search. You have rolled the 2nd and third character. Prevalent spelling is lbgt.

Anyway, Mrs Joseph, I have not looked in or into those books but I do remember a bit of excitement about Amazon removing some books that fell under a particular genre. I think that was it.

If these books were just stories of people with reversed sexual orientation, I see no reason for them to be removed, but I think I heard that they were that and much more.

Dare I say to a gentle lady, they may have been of a scurrilous nature?

[frahse]

Originally Posted by kennyc

And so after 7 pages you've come to save us eh?

Kennyc, you have me confused with another "nobody", ... or maybe somebody... else...?

You're confusing me Kennyc.

But anyway, I am speaking mainly to the comments that have been made, not to the original supposition.

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by frahse

I remembered that I meant to comment on this earlier, but couldn't find it on a search. You have rolled the 2nd and third character. Prevalent spelling is lbgt.

Hmm. I thought it was lgbt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT
http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_...T-Pride-Month/
http://lgbthealth.webolutionary.com/

[frahse]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

Hmm. I thought it was lgbt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT
http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_...T-Pride-Month/
http://lgbthealth.webolutionary.com/

My dear Otter, if I may call you that,
[As a small child I had access to a very old library in a very old prior civil war mansion. Many floors, very creaky. It had all these wonderful old books in worn and frayed condition. I loved the Otter, Beaver, Badger, Squirrel, etc., and such series. I wish I could remember the names of the books. I believe that in these books they would sometimes to refer to each other with the honorific "dear".]
..., anyway I appreciate your correction. I will readily confess a lack of real knowledge in that area.

e.g. on Google search
lbgt 546,000 occurences.
lgbt 36,500,000
There is also a glbt. But enough!

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

Amazon made a system that can remotely erase data from another person's device without the approval of that person. That doesn't happen by accident.

quote by kjk
"I believe Google, Amazon, HP, RIM, Microsoft and Apple all have that technology in their OSes and hardware, but to date only Google and Amazon have actually pulled the trigger on it."

Anytime you see, though you may not see it, a revision or upgrade to your program/device, any change can be made to your software or your computer's memory.

That capability exists everywhere, but what is fairly rare is the intent and will to exercise it as Amazon did. And of course the reason was shown when Amazon did exercise it. Amazon was "slapped down" by the world.

The people with "1984" were lucky. They got a refund and maybe a book. If they had possessed a counterfeit $20 bill, the treasury guys could have taken it and not given anything in return.

Praise Amazon, a true dear friend!
.
.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by ATimson

If Amazon were really my friend, they would've stuck to their guns on banning Macmillan's print titles, rather than surrendering the ability to sell ebooks on friendly-to-everybody-but-the-publisher terms.

Ah, my friend ATimson, I concur with you. I personally wanted to see how that would play out, but then as my Avatar, I am audacious on the field.

[HappyMartin]

Reading this thread I have to keep reminding myself we are talking about books. Digital books. Books that for the most part cost a few dollars. You would swear it was the end of civilization.

[avantman42]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Well, let's see...Amazon is a company who wants my money. It is not a person so how can it have emotions? You want to assume that Amazon cares for you, go right ahead. Me? I like to base my reality in facts and actions. So, NO. Amazon is NOT my friend. It is a vendor that I use occasionally if I can't find what I want elsewhere.

What she said (except that I use Amazon quite a lot )

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by kjk

I believe Google, Amazon, HP, RIM, Microsoft and Apple all have that technology in their OSes and hardware, but to date only Google and Amazon have actually pulled the trigger on it.

Are you sure? I mean that in order to be able to delete selected files you would actually have to be able to see them. Banks and governments use Microsoft and Apple, and I don't think that the OS should be able to allow such a thing.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by frahse

e.g. on Google search
lbgt 546,000 occurences.
lgbt 36,500,000
There is also a glbt. But enough!

I found that any sequence of 4 letters in google will give a result.