Amazon and DRM changes

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I can't test for KU as I don't have Prime. I'll see if I can find a sample.

No problem. I check it out later myself (be much later as I am not near my PC). You can probably update your first post now with a known workaround that works free and deviceless. Maybe with a "only tested with purchases" disclaimer.

[ownedbycats]

Samples seem to work. They download as a PRC file to /Android/data/com.amazon.kindle/files/{ASIN}_sample

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Samples seem to work. They download as a PRC file to /Android/data/com.amazon.kindle/files/{ASIN}_sample

That is good and expected. Then I see no real reason KU borrows should not work. Have to confirm to make sure.

ETA: I decided against testing as I really don't want to install Bluestacks. The last time I tried it (on an older computer) it wasn't a very pleasant experience. And getting rid of it was more complicated than it ought to have been.

[ownedbycats]

I will add Kindle for Android to the OP in a while. I need to write it up first

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I will add Kindle for Android to the OP in a while. I need to write it up first

You might want to start a new thread. It will probably be a popular topic and it will be easier to keep it separate from the discussion of DRM changes that way.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

That is good and expected. Then I see no real reason KU borrows should not work. Have to confirm to make sure.

But then author isn't paid.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by Quoth

But then author isn't paid.

So donate 2 cents to a charity of your choice. That's probably MORE than. KU author gets for one book read.

What do you estimate the average payout per book to be? I expect that Amazon pocket most of the ku subscriptions and that only a tiny proportion goes into the author's shared pot....

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Quoth

But then author isn't paid.

Yes, true. We already been through this. It is a proof of concept. An unrestricted loophole that (un)intentionally has been left open. There is already enough rope in this thread to hang yourself, now there might be a way to do it without a physical Kindle. It is up to you to do the right thing.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by stumped

What do you estimate the average payout per book to be? I expect that Amazon pocket most of the ku subscriptions and that only a tiny proportion goes into the author's shared pot....

If that was the case, KU wouldn't still be thriving after this long. It isn't in Amazon's interest to pocket the majority of the money. It used to be that the pot is about 70% and Amazon keeping 30%. I doubt it has changed since inception.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by stumped

So donate 2 cents to a charity of your choice. That's probably MORE than. KU author gets for one book read.

The current pay is about half a cent per page read. So a customer reading 300 page book will earn the author about $1.50.

[odamizu]

I am troubled by the number of people who seem to think nothing of DeDRM'ing Kindle Unlimited books even knowing that means the author won't get paid.

The argument that it's okay to steal money from KU authors because they don't get paid much anyway because they write crap or Amazon steals their money first ... well, it troubles me. It also makes me question any assistance I have provided for liberating ebooks from K4Mac.

Last word: According to this author: "I write romance novels and have easily made 4–5-figures a month being exclusively in KDP Select with all my books ... I’ve been a self-published author (under a pen name) for over five years now, and in all of those years, I’ve had my books in KDP Select. Why? Because a good 80% of my income comes from the program. And I still make enough for it to be my full-time career." https://medium.com/the-business-of-w...d-efbec9facac4

ETA: I have never subscribed to KU. All my Kindle books are purchased, even those available through KU.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by odamizu

I am troubled by the number of people who seem to think nothing of DeDRM'ing Kindle Unlimited books even knowing that means the author won't get paid.

I suppose that some feel justified in doing that since they are paying Amazon to be in KU.

It reminds me of the thread about Z-library. Their customers probably feel somewhat justified in their actions because they paid someone for the books, even if they are pirates.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by jhowell

It reminds me of the thread about Z-library. Their customers probably feel somewhat justified in their actions because they paid someone for the books, even if they are pirates.

Z-library is free.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Z-library is free.

My mistake. I never visited the site and I saw references to donations in the thread about its recent comeback that I misinterpreted.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by jhowell

My mistake. I never visited the site and I saw references to donations in the thread about its recent comeback that I misinterpreted.

IIRC, there's a limited number of downloads a user makes daily. The donation raises the limit. (Even if it was legal, it seems a bit pointless unless you're the impatient type.)