Amazon and DRM changes

[haertig]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Sorry but that is something I would not like to see. Downloading and reading on a different device cheats the authors of their payment.

You pay the same amount of money to Amazon for a KU subscription whether you read the books you rent on a Kindle or a Kobo. Is this not correct? The same goes for using Download and Transfer and side loading a KU book to your Kindle that is permanently in airplane mode (you can no longer do this with the recent Amazon changes, but you certainly could for many years).

So how is the customer cheating authors of their payment? If anything, someone may argue the point that Amazon is cheating the authors (but evidently with the authors permission - via the contract the probably signed with Amazon). How do you make the argument that the customer is the one doing the cheating? The customer has paid all required money to Amazon. In advance. Amazon is the one who made the decision to not give the authors their share of the money collected in some circumstances. And the authors have accepted this by willingly going under contract (whatever the legal definition is) with Amazon. What logic or legal principle are you using to say the customer is cheating?

I agree that the authors may not be getting paid. But that is not the issue. The issue is whether the customer is the cause of this, or the contract between Amazon/author is the cause of this. I say, "It is not the customer". And I base what I say on the fact that the customer has already paid the required money for their KU subscription. Ethically, part of that payment should go to the authors. If it doesn't, that's not the customers fault.

[frquixote]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

That would be the smart move, yes.

I know it is smart, because it is what I am doing

I have begun my move to the Rakutan KOBO website.

I just had a couple of books I had pre-ordered from Amazon before I knew of the change. Download and transfer now works great with the DeDRM plug-in customized with my Kindle PW3 serial number.

Thanks to those who pointed out the customization step ... it was the only thing I had missed.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by haertig

You pay the same amount of money to Amazon for a KU subscription whether you read the books you rent on a Kindle or a Kobo. Is this not correct? The same goes for using Download and Transfer and side loading a KU book to your Kindle that is permanently in airplane mode (you can no longer do this with the recent Amazon changes, but you certainly could for many years).

So how is the customer cheating authors of their payment? If anything, someone may argue the point that Amazon is cheating the authors (but evidently with the authors permission - via the contract the probably signed with Amazon). How do you make the argument that the customer is the one doing the cheating? The customer has paid all required money to Amazon. In advance. Amazon is the one who made the decision to not give the authors their share of the money collected in some circumstances. And the authors have accepted this by willingly going under contract (whatever the legal definition is) with Amazon. What logic or legal principle are you using to say the customer is cheating?

I agree that the authors may not be getting paid. But that is not the issue. The issue is whether the customer is the cause of this, or the contract between Amazon/author is the cause of this. I say, "It is not the customer". And I base what I say on the fact that the customer has already paid the required money for their KU subscription. Ethically, part of that payment should go to the authors. If it doesn't, that's not the customers fault.

I can see why the KU change is good for the authors. It means the pages read would be uploaded and the books would be read on a Kindle.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I can see why the KU change is good for the authors. It means the pages read would be uploaded and the books would be read on a Kindle.

I'm sure most of those who used to read KU books outside the Amazon ecosystem have found a way for continuing to do so, going by the posts here. But I don't think their overall numbers are particularly large, or KU would have been dead years ago.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I can see why the KU change is good for the authors. It means the pages read would be uploaded and the books would be read on a Kindle.

I agree. It is probably good for the authors. Assuming there is not something else hidden underneath that we're not seeing - designed to benefit Amazon, not the authors. So I understand why Amazon might make this move for KU books, and cannot say I disagree with their (assumed) motive. But for KU books only. If they make the move for purchased books, that is a totally different thing IMHO.

However, Amazon's recent move makes KU unusable for ME, since I permanently leave my Kindle in airplane mode (for multiple reasons). So I personally will not be using KU any more. Not out of spite for what Amazon has done, but because what they have done has simply made KU unusable for me. C'est la vie KU authors - it's been nice reading your work in the past. Well, some of you anyway - quality is rather hit or miss in KU. Which is why Amazon's move is only a minor disappointment to me. It's a loss, but not a great one.

[C-novice]

When it comes down to it -the real issue. It is not even DeDRMing KU or Purchased books but that some / many of the authors we read are exclusive to Amz. KU or Purchased books, they now will never be available for us to purchase from anyone else except Amz. **gagging noise** if we do not buy a Kindle.

We read on the devices that work for us and we likely will never purchase a Kindle because the truth is, there is absolutely no reason to be forced by Amazgog. So we reluctantly part company with those authors. At times we may get lucky and the author may sell from their site. **but don't hold your breath**

I now gave up on series I started when I could buy and read Amz books on my non-Kindle device before Jan 03, 2023. Buying a Kindle to read the rest is not worthy of me if Amz & or Author feel they don't need my money because I am just 1 person in a small group.

Another honest truth whether we like it or not; whether we participate or not; it's that piracy thrives because of these type of 'Prohibitions'.

When governments and or big business do these kinds of asinine things, even well meaning citizens are apt to break the law.

Remember the days of 'Prohibition'? In this circumstance, it's books instead of liquor.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by C-novice

Another honest truth whether we like it or not; whether we participate or not; it's that piracy thrives because of these type of 'Prohibitions'.

That is being willfully ignorant to serve your own agenda. Maybe it is time you take off your tinfoil hat. You don't need an Amazon device to purchase and read ebooks sold at Amazon the majority can even get their DRM removed, with the exception being KFX only books. Download and transfer is not the only way to liberate your Amazon purchases.

[C-novice]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

That is being willfully ignorant to serve your own agenda. Maybe it is time you take off your tinfoil hat. You don't need an Amazon device to purchase and read ebooks sold at Amazon the majority can even get their DRM removed, with the exception being KFX only books. Download and transfer is not the only way to liberate your Amazon purchases.

No, I don't think so. My tinfoil hat is in the cupboard -comes out only during full moons.

I said devices of choice. People will choose to read on whatever device or app which gives the reading experience they prefer. I use 1.17 pc app and the few books I purchased which were published after Jan 3/23, I returned as I was not able to bring them on to my non-Kindle device -the app sucks on my device.

Does not mean I am going to go to all the extra trouble of getting those books to work by any means necessary. Amazgog could have been more considerate. KU books published after Jan 2/23? -KFX the life out of it if they want. Fine. Purchased books published after Jan 3/23? Why 100% KFX. **Oops! my tin foil hat is glinting now**

No problem. My choice.

Oh, I do buy books from Amazgog still -the ones published before January 03, 2023. I'm just staying away from starting series in progress.

[Ma'am-I-Am]

Originally Posted by Quoth

That would cheat the authors. They'd not get paid.

Again, possibilities. I just want to know if anyone has tried it and what the result was. PMs accepted.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by C-novice

Does not mean I am going to go to all the extra trouble of getting those books to work by any means necessary. Amazgog could have been more considerate. KU books published after Jan 2/23? -KFX the life out of it if they want. Fine. Purchased books published after Jan 3/23? Why 100% KFX. **Oops! my tin foil hat is glinting now**

You went through the trouble with K4PC. Doing it with Kindle for Android to read your purchases is the same effort as going out of your way to keep K4PC from updating.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

You went through the trouble with K4PC. Doing it with Kindle for Android to read your purchases is the same effort as going out of your way to keep K4PC from updating.

It comes down to each person's tolerance for hassle vs. benefit. Or tolerance for how much customer abuse/inconvenience (or however else they wish to interpret this) they are willing to allow from a merchant.

Some have reached their tolerance level. You have not. So we can all continue on as we see fit, which may well be different from each other.

[C-novice]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

You went through the trouble with K4PC. Doing it with Kindle for Android to read your purchases is the same effort as going out of your way to keep K4PC from updating.

1.17, 1.26 etc. for pc will not allow Calibre conversion of books purchased after Jan 3, 2023.

This is how far I will go:
Get the books I buy into the old app, put them into Calibre, convert to epub. Keep them in my library and read and re-read to my heart's content.

The new format does not allow me to do that.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by C-novice

1.17, 1.26 etc. for pc will not allow Calibre conversion of books purchased after Jan 3, 2023.

This is how far I will go:
Get the books I buy into the old app, put them into Calibre, convert to epub. Keep them in my library and read and re-read to my heart's content.

The new format does not allow me to do that.

You can do it via an old version of Kindle for Android (there is a recent thread about it). Whether you want to go to the trouble or not is of course your own business.

[C-novice]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

You can do it via an old version of Kindle for Android (there is a recent thread about it). Whether you want to go to the trouble or not is of course your own business.

Right. I've read those threads. Old or new, I would have to go buy a Kindle to do that.

I already have a [non kindle] reader. Don't need different readers 2 right now.

Besides, I could always get the print copy if the book comes in that format as well.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by C-novice

Right. I've read those threads. Old or new, I would have to go buy a Kindle to do that.

No, you don't have to buy a Kindle. You can install an old version of Kindle for Android on your computer using Bluestacks and deDRM your Kindle books with that. No Kindle device needed.