Amazon and DRM changes

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by odamizu

I am curious (and worried). Why do you think Amazon's long-term plan is to do away with Download & Transfer, especially if they are able to deliver KFX in a single file? (Not that receiving KFX via Download & Transfer is a good thing for readers of this thread, but since it's possible for Amazon to deliver KFX in a single file, what is the advantage to Amazon of doing away with Download & Transfer?)

I don't think Amazon is trying to do away with Download and transfer via USB. I think Amazon may be gearing up to deliver KFX if your Kindle Supports KFX via Download and transfer via USB.

So those without a KF8 only Kindle on the account may be well and truly screwed. You already are screwed if you don't have a KF8 Kindle older then a PW1 if you do download KU/Prime eBooks and want a new one.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I have two Kindle 4 models, my first e-readers.

BTW, so far you don't have to use old models for Download & Transfer. Any eink model newer than Kindle DX will work. People who keep asking about old models are those wanting to deDRM their KU loans.

But if you don't have a Kindle and are looking to buy one, get an older Kindle. One that's older then a PW1 that supports KF8 for the day when Amazon decides to make Downloading KFX if the Kindle supports KF8.

And if Amazon was to remove the download option, you'd need to sync to get a KF8 you can strip the DRM.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Yes, you can and it has been written here several times. You're mixing up Download & Transfer (works with any eink model) and getting KU loans off a Kindle (works only with old models).

I meant to say KU/Prime.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It has to be a Kindle earlier then a PW1 that supports KF8. Otherwise, you cannot download new KU/Prime eBooks (Jan 3, 20203) or later and be be able to use them on a non-kindle (Kobo, Pocketbook, etc.) device.

You can use an Android eink and Kindle App. Removal of DRM and reading KU outside Kindle App or Kindle cheats the author / publisher.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Quoth

You can use an Android eink and Kindle App. Removal of DRM and reading KU outside Kindle App or Kindle cheats the author / publisher.

You can use the Kindle and turn pages ever so often.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by odamizu

I am curious (and worried). Why do you think Amazon's long-term plan is to do away with Download & Transfer, especially if they are able to deliver KFX in a single file? (Not that receiving KFX via Download & Transfer is a good thing for readers of this thread, but since it's possible for Amazon to deliver KFX in a single file, what is the advantage to Amazon of doing away with Download & Transfer?)

Amazon's actions over the past several years lead me to believe that they intend to do away with Download & Transfer (D&T). I do not know this for certain but it seems likely to me.

When KFX format was first introduced in 2015 I expected D&T to begin using that format right away. It appears Amazon considered doing that. I found code in the Kindle for Android app that would take a zip file containing a KFX book and expand it into the individual files used for KFX format.

But it never happened. Eight years later D&T still does not support KFX and books that are only available in KFX format are simply unavailable for D&T. I believe that reflects a decision made awhile ago regarding the future of D&T.

In the early days of Kindle devices wireless access was far less common than it is today. It made sense to have a means of loading books by downloading files to a wired online PC and transferring them via USB.

These days Wi-Fi is nearly ubiquitous and PCs have become less common as household devices. Sure there are some people who cannot (or will not) load books wirelessly but they are increasingly rare. I suspect that at this point D&T is mostly used as a means of obtaining copies of books in preparation for DRM removal and Amazon is well aware of that.

Besides the lack D&T for KFX there has been a slow and gradual chipping away at D&T capability. At one time it could be done right from the web page where you purchased a book. Now you need to find it in a submenu under Content & Devices. The ability to download book samples was also taken away. The lack of any outcry over that change was likely seen by Amazon as more evidence that D&T was not being used for its intended purpose. Now KU and Prime Lending books are excluded from D&T. That has caused more of a reaction, but largely from those who were reading those books on other platforms which Amazon wants to prevent anyway.

I may be wrong but I expect to see the D&T feature continue to be available for fewer books going forward until at some point Amazon declares it to be used so infrequently that it can be eliminated completely. Everything they have done lately points to them wanting people to read Kindle books only on Kindle apps and devices and D&T is being used to avoid that.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You can use the Kindle and turn pages ever so often.

But in reality who is going to do that?

[Patitapetit]

Originally Posted by jhowell

But in reality who is going to do that?

People Who read ebooks from KU and if they consider ebooks are good can download them.

[Fat Abe]

Originally Posted by jhowell

But in reality who is going to do that?

If I were an author and had friends who had nothing better to do with their day, then they might be asked to fast read a book to generate payments to me. Of course, since my friends are far lazier than me, and since we have no idea what the payout rate is for a completed book read, I would need to plea to them as a George S***os liar, and claim that it would generate $0.50 per book, and benefit my campaign fund. Amazon probably has statistics where they know the average completion rate for KU books. The farthest I ever got on a Max Allan Collings book was 25%, after realizing that he is a formulaic, prolific writer with none of the imagination of Charles Dickens.

Is there a finite number of page flips you can do with an e-reader? My most heavily used e-reader is an Irex, and it is plagued with shadowing. With 11 Kindles, I hardly think I will ever encounter this problem.

[Patitapetit]

Originally Posted by Quoth

You can use an Android eink and Kindle App. Removal of DRM and reading KU outside Kindle App or Kindle cheats the author / publisher.

In the UE crack DRM and do a copy is illegal. Only can make a Personal copy if the book is sold without DRM.
So you are doing illegal crack of DRM but are in shock If other people do other kind of illegal things.
If you want to be 100% honest with publishers don't crack DRM.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Patitapetit

In the UE crack DRM and do a copy is illegal. Only can make a Personal copy if the book is sold without DRM.
So you are doing illegal crack of DRM but are in shock If other people do other kind of illegal things.
If you want to be 100% honest with publishers don't crack DRM.

There is a difference between civil and criminal offenses. It also matters if the offense is victimless or not. If you make an illegal copy of a book you already paid full price for the license, for your own personal use, then you are not hurting anybody financially (victimless). If you borrow a book through KU and circumvent Amazon's intended tracking, then you literally steal money that was supposed to go to your author. That some other author gets the money instead doesn't make up for it. Playing Robin Hood never works out morally or even in concept.

[Patitapetit]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

There is a difference between civil and criminal offenses. It also matters if the offense is victimless or not. If you make an illegal copy of a book you already paid full price for the license, for your own personal use, then you are not hurting anybody financially (victimless). If you borrow a book through KU and circumvent Amazon's intended tracking, then you literally steal money that was supposed to go to your author. That some other author gets the money instead doesn't make up for it. Playing Robin Hood never works out morally or even in concept.

It's legal to crack DRM? No. IS It legal Jailbreak? No. Here Is a forum very strange, some illegal ok, others not

[Patitapetit]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You can use the Kindle and turn pages ever so often.

100% agree

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Patitapetit

It's legal to crack DRM? No. IS It legal Jailbreak? No. Here Is a forum very strange, some illegal ok, others not

It is not universally illegal in every jurisdiction. Cracking DRM is mostly illegal. That is why circumventing DRM mechanisms do not use a brute force, or smarter, method to crack the DRM, but merely circumvent it with a known key. Legality of jailbreak also depends on your jurisdiction, especially if an EULA is enforceable and or legal in the first place.

Of course, the publishers and companies that sell you ebooks and ebook readers want you to believe you are a dirty criminal for exercising rights as a consumer.

[Patitapetit]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Of course, the publishers and companies that sell you ebooks and ebook readers want you to believe you are a dirty criminal for exercising rights as a consumer.

Jejejejeje Well, we are in this Forum...