What's with the Paranoia?

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by DNSB

For some reason I was reminded of a scene from "A Garden of Cucumbers" assessing the potential sales value of the St. Dismas Thriftshop: "About 5 thousand for the building and about 20 years for the contents". That quote is probably not totally correct since I read the book more decades ago then I care to think about.

I'd not heard of the book before. Reading about it, it's a bummer there doesn't appear to be an ebook version of it.

The computer was worth maybe $400, the contents of the hard drives were mostly very hard core porn images and videos.

That likely describes very many personal computers. It's likely for the best the widow didn't go through it herself.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by haertig

Coffee must be cheap in Canada. I'm envious.

2 dollars for a Starbucks tall coffee is cheap?

Edit: I guess it depends on your location. The tall coffee here is $1.90.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I'd not heard of the book before. Reading about it, it's a bummer there doesn't appear to be an ebook version of it.

I read it from the public library under that name and later picked up a used paperback from a second hand book store under the Fitzwilly name.

I remember enjoying the book back then but not sure what I would think of it now. It's been a while.

[JSWolf]

What term should be used for someone who does not want to register a Reader due to privacy concerns? How does such a person buy eBooks?

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Very well said!

Another question is why by a Kobo Forma just for public domain/creative commons/fan fiction eBooks?

Because you (usually) can't buy paperbacks of fanfics, and reading on a cell phone sucks.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Because you (usually) can't buy paperbacks of fanfics, and reading on a cell phone sucks.

But we don't know what he reads as he didn't say. We just know that he doesn't buy eBooks.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by issybird

There’s a coyness about “I don’t buy ebooks” that’s intentionally suggestive. Why not say, “I don’t buy ebooks; I only read public domain.” Or “fan fiction.” Or “my diary.” The poster is implying his/her piratical practices or is just trying to stir up controversy. Or both, of course.

The poster doesn’t have to spell out what he/she actually does. But I can’t read those posts without thinking that they are deliberately leading to a particular conclusion.

BINGO! He provocatively dangled "I don't buy ebooks" in front of us but never said where he got them from, and has YET to answer that simple question, which has left us to do all sorts of speculation.

Either tell us how you get your ebooks without buying, using a library etc. or just get lost. Again life is too short for this kind of BS.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

BINGO! He provocatively dangled "I don't buy ebooks" in front of us but never said where he got them from, and has YET to answer that simple question, which has left us to do all sorts of speculation.

In the end, does it really matter? Yes, like most others I assume that person likely does pirate their books. But they aren't bragging about it or even going into details.

Either tell us how you get your ebooks without buying, using a library etc. or just get lost. Again life is too short for this kind of BS.

Since the discussion is about the benefits (or lack thereof) of registering a reader, all the speculation about where a user procures there books is on those users who keep discussing it.

[JSWolf]

With Kobo, you can edit the SQL database to fake register. But there has been one firmware update where that broke and you had to start over. So you could run into this again sometime in the future. This is why fake registering a Kobo is not a good idea. You could have to start over. You just don't know if or when it will happen. Also, you cannot use Overdrive (if your Kobo supports Overdrive). You cannot buy any eBooks from the Kobo and you cannot sync.

I don't know how to get around not registering a Kindle. I do know if you are not registered, you cannot create collections among other things you cannot do. You cannot sync. You cannot buy eBooks from the Kindle and you cannot email eBooks to your Kindle. I don't know what else may not function without registering.

[ownedbycats]

Another theory:

Kobo and Amazon often have free giveaways of otherwise paid books. Make a throwaway account with a throwaway email to grab them, strip the DRM, sideload them.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Another theory:

Kobo and Amazon often have free giveaways of otherwise paid books. Make a throwaway account with a throwaway email to grab them, strip the DRM, sideload them.

But, if the email address is not valid, will there be a problem when they got o email the receipt?

[ownedbycats]

To be honest, I've not tried it myself. Also "throwaway" doesn't necessarily mean "temporary": I have one with Gmail that I only access in Thunderbird.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But, if the email address is not valid, will there be a problem when they got o email the receipt?

Nope, I suspect they don't look at the bounce back from a bad email address. And that would only apply if you paying for a book. Kobo doesn't send a receipt for a freebie.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Nope, I suspect they don't look at the bounce back from a bad email address. And that would only apply if you paying for a book. Kobo doesn't send a receipt for a freebie.

Amazon does send a recept for a free eBook.

It's been a long time since I got a free eBook from Kobo that I don't recall if I got a recept or not.

[barryem]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Gee, I bought 5 books from Amazon, 6 from Kobo and 1 from Baen this week. As for the piracy, ebook piracy is theft. The author does not receive any payment for those copies. Do you support shoplifters? Pickpockets?

I'm not supporting piracy at all. I'm saying that whether someone pirates books isn't part of a discussion of a desire for privacy or the lack thereof.

Someone says he doesn't buy ebooks. Okay. Does that make him a pirate? Maybe. Maybe not. Why veer off into that when we're talking about something else. There could be all kinds of legitimate reasons for not buying ebooks.

Barry