We don't own the ebooks we buy?

ryuji35 · 08-24-2015, 03:25 AM

I have chanced upon this article just now and it bothered me so much since I have bought so much books on Amazon just to find that, it's not mine to begin with?

You don't own your Kindle Books, Amazon reminds customers

The prospect of someone wiping out my books on my device is scary at the same time, infuriating.

cromag · 08-24-2015, 03:33 AM

That's a nasty, bureaucratic turn of events. I absolutely don't believe it can be justified in any way, shape, or form. And I do not wish to come across as unsympathetic ...

... but, ryuj35, it looks like you've been here long enough to already know the value of sanitizing your purchases and storing them beyond the reach of big brother.

HarryT · 08-24-2015, 03:47 AM

This is ancient history and was discussed in depth at the time in happened, three years ago. You do keep secure backups of the books you've bought, presumably?

Digital content is always licensed, not sold. That applies not just to ebooks, but to music downloads, and anything else in digital form.

ryuji35 · 08-24-2015, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cromag

... but, ryuj35, it looks like you've been here long enough to already know the value of sanitizing your purchases and storing them beyond the reach of big brother.

Oh, I do have back-ups but not my Kindle Purchases. I'll research on how to do this then.

ryuji35 · 08-24-2015, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

This is ancient history and was discussed in depth at the time in happened, three years ago. You do keep secure backups of the books you've bought, presumably?

Digital content is always licensed, not sold. That applies not just to ebooks, but to music downloads, and anything else in digital form.

I always do on my Non-Amazon books since I thought they will be forever safe on cloud. But knowing this just now prompts me to back-up my Amazon books as well. Nothing is safe I guess.

I just thought ebooks are much better than paperbacks but now I guess there is a price to pay for these conveniences.

aardbewoner · 08-24-2015, 08:13 AM

HarryT you say "Digital content is always licensed" mmm Give you hope for your bank account

And every body should keep a copy somewhere save

HarryT · 08-24-2015, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aardbewoner

HarryT you say "Digital content is always licensed" mmm Give you hope for your bank account

And every body should keep a copy somewhere save

I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm afraid.

Turtle91 · 08-24-2015, 09:54 AM

HarryT - I think he meant that your bank account is "Digital content"...there isn't any "real" money in an envolope with your name on it...it's just a digital account with other electronic content signifying how large the number is...

I thought the great DRM debate was digital "Software" was always licensed but digital "Content" is not (or at least not automatically). The documents I create using MS Word are not the property of MS, but Word is. E-books are not software, they are a document that cannot be used unless opened by another reader/device that has the appropriate software.

When I purchase content to be used by other software it's the same as purchasing a paperback. I am allowed to format-shift my paperback to Ebook - and the publisher is certainly not able to delete my paperback at their whim. That is one reason why publishers don't want to take a case to court - they know they'll lose. They would just rather scare the sheeple into believing they have no rights.

...at least that is the justification I use to clean all my purchased content and store them on my own hard drive.

CWatkinsNash · 08-24-2015, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aardbewoner

HarryT you say "Digital content is always licensed" mmm Give you hope for your bank account

And every body should keep a copy somewhere save

In this not-really-applicable-at-all comparison, HarryT would be the rights-holder of his money. By depositing the funds in a bank with an account agreement in place, he's granting the financial institution very limited rights to those funds while he is still retaining control, access and ownership of said funds.

You're not the rights-holder of content of the books you buy, regardless of whether they are ebooks or paper books. You're granted a limited license. The same is true for audio cds and mp3 downloads, and movies.

Tony1988 · 08-24-2015, 10:20 AM

Does it really matter??? Some of the people here have so many books they wont be able to read them more than once or not even get to them before they die. I rarely read a paper book twice and they just collect dust so I get rid of them. Unless its a how to book or technical book or a series you really do go back to I wouldn't worry about it. Just buy the ones you don't want to lose in hard copy. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

HappyMartin · 08-24-2015, 10:31 AM

I much prefer not owning stuff. In the past I had to haul books around and find places to keep them. Make sure they were in order and try and remember what was read, what wasn't and what had been lent out to who.

Next I purchased books and side loaded them. I had to manage content, format and so on. Migrate to different types of media as tech evolved.

It was the same for records then then CDs and MP3 downloads.

Now Amazon takes care of my books and Apple my music. What ever I want to listen to or read is available. If the world goes belly up on me and all civilization fails I will have bigger things to worry about than my book collection so let's not bring that one up.

oblox · 08-24-2015, 10:43 AM

Well I sanitise and store my collection on Calibre which is then backed up to a USB stick and my laptop.

I also epub all my books and upload them to Google drive and import from there to Google Play books. I also have a copy of all of them sent to my kindle archive (so amazon cloud) and on my Kindle.

I also do the same for my music purchases/ripped CD's save on HDD, USB and laptop and upload to google play music.

So except for major Alien/Zombie invasion/outbreak my digital content is pretty safe. And yes if the world went belly up we'd all have more important things to worry about.

But i'm still of a mind that shops are extremely negligent on informing customers that they aren't buying digital things just licensing them. I look round many online store and constantly see places I can buy things and nowhere do I see the words license this music or license this book.

GERGE · 08-24-2015, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle91

HarryT - I think he meant that your bank account is "Digital content"...there isn't any "real" money in an envolope with your name on it...it's just a digital account with other electronic content signifying how large the number is...

What he said was correct actually, but I believe he was being sarcastic.

You can easily say that money is digital content and licensed. This is not a bad analogy of our new debt centered economy. We don't use gold standard anymore, we use pure and abstract debt.

There isn't any real money anywhere, not anymore, not even if you keep the gold yourself.

DiapDealer · 08-24-2015, 01:44 PM

I'm honestly tired of worrying about whether or not I technically "own" my ebooks. It's barely relevant to my wonderfully enjoyable hobby of buying and reading them. And yes ... I know all of the things that COULD happen to separate me from my "license." I just don't give a damn anymore.

Ahhh, I didn't even notice it was that ancient story dredged up again.

Fbone · 08-24-2015, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm honestly tired of worrying about whether or not I technically "own" my ebooks. It's barely relevant to my wonderfully enjoyable hobby of buying and reading them. And yes ... I know all of the things that COULD happen to separate me from my "license." I just don't give a damn anymore.

Ahhh, I didn't even notice it was that ancient story dredged up again.

I've reached the point to where I just want to buy and read.

08-24-2015, 03:25 AM	#1
ryuji35 Zealot Posts: 146 Karma: 1571384 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: Kobo Clara Color, Kindle Basic 2022, Samsung Tab S6 Lite, Samsung A9	We don't own the ebooks we buy? I have chanced upon this article just now and it bothered me so much since I have bought so much books on Amazon just to find that, it's not mine to begin with? You don't own your Kindle Books, Amazon reminds customers The prospect of someone wiping out my books on my device is scary at the same time, infuriating.

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08-24-2015, 03:33 AM	#2
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,285 Karma: 459765791 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	That's a nasty, bureaucratic turn of events. I absolutely don't believe it can be justified in any way, shape, or form. And I do not wish to come across as unsympathetic ... ... but, ryuj35, it looks like you've been here long enough to already know the value of sanitizing your purchases and storing them beyond the reach of big brother.

08-24-2015, 03:47 AM	#3
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	This is ancient history and was discussed in depth at the time in happened, three years ago. You do keep secure backups of the books you've bought, presumably? Digital content is always licensed, not sold. That applies not just to ebooks, but to music downloads, and anything else in digital form.

08-24-2015, 08:13 AM	#6
aardbewoner Grumpy Posts: 76 Karma: 2222222 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: linux computers ,raspberry	HarryT you say "Digital content is always licensed" mmm Give you hope for your bank account And every body should keep a copy somewhere save

08-24-2015, 09:54 AM	#8
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,347 Karma: 20171571 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 15/11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	HarryT - I think he meant that your bank account is "Digital content"...there isn't any "real" money in an envolope with your name on it...it's just a digital account with other electronic content signifying how large the number is... I thought the great DRM debate was digital "Software" was always licensed but digital "Content" is not (or at least not automatically). The documents I create using MS Word are not the property of MS, but Word is. E-books are not software, they are a document that cannot be used unless opened by another reader/device that has the appropriate software. When I purchase content to be used by other software it's the same as purchasing a paperback. I am allowed to format-shift my paperback to Ebook - and the publisher is certainly not able to delete my paperback at their whim. That is one reason why publishers don't want to take a case to court - they know they'll lose. They would just rather scare the sheeple into believing they have no rights. ...at least that is the justification I use to clean all my purchased content and store them on my own hard drive.

08-24-2015, 10:20 AM	#10
Tony1988 Guru Posts: 718 Karma: 4033862 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: sony prs-350	Does it really matter??? Some of the people here have so many books they wont be able to read them more than once or not even get to them before they die. I rarely read a paper book twice and they just collect dust so I get rid of them. Unless its a how to book or technical book or a series you really do go back to I wouldn't worry about it. Just buy the ones you don't want to lose in hard copy. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

08-24-2015, 10:31 AM	#11
HappyMartin Martin Kristiansen Posts: 1,546 Karma: 8480958 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Johannesburg Device: Kindle International Ipad 2	I much prefer not owning stuff. In the past I had to haul books around and find places to keep them. Make sure they were in order and try and remember what was read, what wasn't and what had been lent out to who. Next I purchased books and side loaded them. I had to manage content, format and so on. Migrate to different types of media as tech evolved. It was the same for records then then CDs and MP3 downloads. Now Amazon takes care of my books and Apple my music. What ever I want to listen to or read is available. If the world goes belly up on me and all civilization fails I will have bigger things to worry about than my book collection so let's not bring that one up.

08-24-2015, 10:43 AM	#12
oblox Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 1007000 Join Date: Sep 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite (7th Gen)	Well I sanitise and store my collection on Calibre which is then backed up to a USB stick and my laptop. I also epub all my books and upload them to Google drive and import from there to Google Play books. I also have a copy of all of them sent to my kindle archive (so amazon cloud) and on my Kindle. I also do the same for my music purchases/ripped CD's save on HDD, USB and laptop and upload to google play music. So except for major Alien/Zombie invasion/outbreak my digital content is pretty safe. And yes if the world went belly up we'd all have more important things to worry about. But i'm still of a mind that shops are extremely negligent on informing customers that they aren't buying digital things just licensing them. I look round many online store and constantly see places I can buy things and nowhere do I see the words license this music or license this book.

08-24-2015, 01:44 PM	#14
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,569 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I'm honestly tired of worrying about whether or not I technically "own" my ebooks. It's barely relevant to my wonderfully enjoyable hobby of buying and reading them. And yes ... I know all of the things that COULD happen to separate me from my "license." I just don't give a damn anymore. Ahhh, I didn't even notice it was that ancient story dredged up again.