Amazon and DRM changes

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by slm

If you are buying a used Kindle just to download the ebook files, you don't care if the battery goes--only the registration and id are being used.

If you are buying a used Kindle that sat for a long time you may not be able to get it working long enough to register it. And if it dies after you register it you can never move it to another Amazon account or make use of the alternate option if Download & Transfer goes away.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by slm

If you are buying a used Kindle just to download the ebook files...

I buy all my ebooks from Amazon. I've purchased a good many books that are Amazon exclusive, so I buy the rest there as well because the one-stop nature of it is just so convenient.

I was annoyed (upset?) about the change, like Amazon just doesn't want my business any longer. (Of course I do understand that people buying books to use on other devices likely played no part in the decision.)

But man, buying a Kindle I'm not going to otherwise use so that I have the privilege to continue giving Amazon my money is just a step too far.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

(Of course I do understand that people buying books to use on other devices likely played no part in the decision.)

Or it might have been the main reason for the change, as jhowell explained. Of course it's still speculation, we don't know the real reason.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Or it might have been the main reason for the change, as jhowell explained. Of course it's still speculation, we don't know the real reason.

My point is, regardless, buying a Kindle solely to be able to continue buying books from Amazon is further than I am willing to go. And I have been happy to buy books from them and certainly have bought and enjoyed by Kindle exclusive authors.

Once K4PC is well and truly dead and Amazon does finally put their uncrackable DRM in place, they obviously don't want my business. I'm not kidding myself that they will notice my absence, but I know when to move on.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

My point is, regardless, buying a Kindle solely to be able to continue buying books from Amazon is further than I am willing to go. And I have been happy to buy books from them and certainly have bought and enjoyed by Kindle exclusive authors.

Once K4PC is well and truly dead and Amazon does finally put their uncrackable DRM in place, they obviously don't want my business. I'm not kidding myself that they will notice my absence, but I know when to move on.

Yes, I get it. I won't buy from them either, if their DRM really becomes uncrackable and all workarounds are stopped. They can stuff their DRM into where the sun doesn't shine.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

My point is, regardless, buying a Kindle solely to be able to continue buying books from Amazon is further than I am willing to go. And I have been happy to buy books from them and certainly have bought and enjoyed by Kindle exclusive authors.

In my case, even if I was willing, I really couldn't afford it. I only replaced my Aura HD when it became clear that it was going to die soon, and I had to budget for that and wait for a sale.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

In my case, even if I was willing, I really couldn't afford it. I only replaced my Aura HD when it became clear that it was going to die soon, and I had to budget for that and wait for a sale.

And besides, who knows how long that loophole will last. You might buy a Kindle only to discover after a couple of months that the download and transfer option has disappeared. Then you'd have to read your Kindle books on the Kindle or stop buying them anyway.

Me, I'm not going to buy books with uncrackable DRM even if I had a Kindle in active use. As things stand, I have two ancient non-touch basics on my account and an Oasis which my niece is using (with pre-loaded books). If the eink Kindle workaround is stopped and nothing else is found by that time, I'll stop buying from Amazon.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

But thats your problem

Why is it our problem?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

I could just buy the latest Perry Rhodan novella to test it if you want. I have an Oasis from 2019 but I'm not sure if the novella has DRM because every other seller offers them without DRM. Is DRM mandatory on Amazon?

DRM is not mandatory for Mobi or KF8. But it is forced with KFX.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Thanks for the data points.

That is a good summary and analysis of the main topic of this thread and does not seem to be in dispute other than quibbling over what is under the DRM umbrella.

ottischwenk has muddied the water with reports on "Download & Transfer" of newly published ebooks bought via amazon.de, so far neither refuted nor confirmed.

In post #152, @rantanplan refuted @ottischwenk with proof.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Were they encrypted?
Do you know when the encryption is performed?
I'm not sure, but I seem to recall that I got the same title as azw3 for the Kindle 4 and kfx for the PW4.
But I can also be wrong about that - I won't be able to check that until the beginning of April.

Yes, they were definitely encrypted. If I tried to open them without running them through the DeDrm plug-in, I got a message saying that they couldn't be opened. When I ran them through the plugin, they opened just fine.

Shari

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

DRM is not mandatory for Mobi or KF8. But it is forced with KFX.

I wonder if Amazon bothers to remove those "at the publisher's request, this book is sold without DRM" on books only available as KFX.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

In post #152, @rantanplan refuted @ottischwenk with proof.

It is evidence against, but it is not proof.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I wonder if Amazon bothers to remove those "at the publisher's request, this book is sold without DRM" on books only available as KFX.

I would say that those lines would not be removed.

For the heck of it, I downloaded some previously purchased ebooks (2 from Baen, 1 from Tor) with a new install of K4PC 1.39 and they were downloaded in DRMmed KFX format. The descriptions for the books on Amazon.ca included "At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). for Baen and "At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied." for Tor.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

They can stuff their DRM into where the sun doesn't shine.

That comment with your avatar made me smile.