I'm asking general questions about amazon books.

[luigi rovatti]

Now that, from April 23, 2025, it's not possible to download books anymore from amazon via K4PC, I wondered if, apart from using an e-ink Kindle and Kindle for android, one problem is going to emerge. Many authors subscribed to a contract with Amazon via Kindle Direct Publishing, which, among other things, forces their books to be sold exclusively through Amazon instead of Kobo, Barnes & Noble, etc.

So, I gather that two kinds of books won't be available anymore on shadow libraries. 1) Short stories that complete a book series 2) full-length novels sold through KDP. 1) could sometimes be obviated when there's a ss collection in a book, but otherwise Kobo won't have those stories. Or am i wrong?

[Sirtel]

It's still possible to download books using Kindle for PC. Just not books published after April 22. And I'm guessing people who upload to "shadow libraries" (if by that you mean illegal sites) are fully capable of using an eink Kindle to deDRM Kindle books.

But Kobo and other legal booksellers don't have the books sold under the exclusivity contract, that's true.

[Quoth]

KDP isn't exclusive, it's KU that's exclusive for KDP users. Big publishers can use KU non-exclusively.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Quoth

KDP isn't exclusive, it's KU that's exclusive for KDP users. Big publishers can use KU non-exclusively.

Don't know where your info is from, or if misunderstood. KDP Select requires Kindle exclusivity for eBooks. Big publishers can cut separate deal, not independent authors.

https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/to...V24QFZ7#enroll

KDP Select is for Kindle eBooks only. You can also enroll pre-order Kindle eBooks. To be eligible for enrollment:

• You must have exclusive rights for the primary content of the Kindle eBook. Content that is public domain is not eligible.
• Your Kindle eBook must also be exclusive to the Kindle Store for the KDP Select enrollment period.

During the 90-day enrollment period, the Kindle eBook can only be distributed through KDP. However, you can continue to distribute print, video, audio, or other formats of your title elsewhere. See the KDP Terms and Conditions for more information.

[jhowell]

KDP Select is the subset of KDP that gets included into the KU library.

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by luigi rovatti

So, I gather that two kinds of books won't be available anymore on shadow libraries.

What makes you think that? Just because of DRM? People already leak pre-release versions, people can just scan books etc.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

What makes you think that? Just because of DRM? People already leak pre-release versions, people can just scan books etc.

Indeed authors have been banned from KU because someone else pirated the the book and uploaded it.

See also what so called "Generative AI" has used as copyrighted texts without payment.