Amazon and DRM changes

[lkmiller]

Thing is that Amazon is currently several steps ahead in this game. All of the current methods rely on older apps/devices/formats.

[Alfirin]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

Thing is that Amazon is currently several steps ahead in this game. All of the current methods rely on older apps/devices/formats.

Sadly they'll always be a few step ahead. There's no way someone comes with a method which could work with the next version of Amazon's DRM, and the next, and the next, etc.
It's not a game of chess (even some people will say the white pieces are always a tempo ahead, which is true).

We can only hope to be close enough to dedrmed the books we buy.

Honestly, I still don't understand why D&T is/will be disabled.
Because 1) You have to get a Kindle 2) You have to buy the book on the Amazon ecosystem.
Basically, most of the people stop there and it's what Amazon wants you'll tell me.
Besides that, what are they after? They even control what we 'send to Kindle'.
It's not even reducing the option on how to get to their ecosystem. It's just painful for the users who, once again, pay their books.

Sorry if I repeat all all over again. I had to get it off my system today.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Alfirin

Honestly, I still don't understand why D&T is/will be disabled.

That one seems easy to me. As people here have noted, presumably the number of users who actually use D&T is not terribly significant as a portion of Amazon’s business. So, why? Because those who do it are extremely likely to be DeDRMing their books. Amazon’s aggressive stance toward those who do must help them in their negotiations with publishers, who do like DRM. As you say, why would Amazon care? They don’t, as far as their own sales go. But they really like being in a position to call some of the shots with publishers.

What “I still don’t understand” is why people who care haven’t taken their business elsewhere, at least those who sideload their books anyway, which seems to be a lot, given how many never connect to WiFI. I get that some must prefer the ease of direct download as far as reading goes (as do I), but also want to make sure they can access their books in perpetuity. But at least acknowledge that’s a pact you’ve made with the devil, so to speak.

[John F]

Originally Posted by issybird

That one seems easy to me. As people here have noted, presumably the number of users who actually use D&T is not terribly significant as a portion of Amazon’s business. So, why? Because those who do it are extremely likely to be DeDRMing their books. Amazon’s aggressive stance toward those who do must help them in their negotiations with publishers, who do like DRM. As you say, why would Amazon care? They don’t, as far as their own sales go. But they really like being in a position to call some of the shots with publishers.

...

I would think a walled garden keeps the casual user in the garden.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by John F

I would think a walled garden keeps the casual user in the garden.

I agree, but I think the a wall of garden-variety DRM protection combined with a unique format is sufficient to retain the casual user. Whacking the moles of D&T only affects outliers.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by issybird

What “I still don’t understand” is why people who care haven’t taken their business elsewhere, at least those who sideload their books anyway, which seems to be a lot, given how many never connect to WiFI. I get that some must prefer the ease of direct download as far as reading goes (as do I), but also want to make sure they can access their books in perpetuity. But at least acknowledge that’s a pact you’ve made with the devil, so to speak.

Why should I, as long as I can still deDRM my purchases? Plus, I don't buy only from Amazon and have never bought only from Amazon. I'm pragmatic enough not to want to inconvenience myself merely for the sake of principles, knowing it makes no difference to Amazon one way or the other. So I buy some of my books from them as long as I can liberate my purchases. I draw the line at buying books with an unremovable DRM, not only on principle, but also because I want to make my own personal backups. At the moment Amazon DRM is not yet unremovable.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by issybird

I agree, but I think the a wall of garden-variety DRM protection combined with a unique format is sufficient to retain the casual user. Whacking the moles of D&T only affects outliers.

I do not think that doing away with Download & Transfer is mainly about blocking DRM removal. I believe it is more about assuring that Kindle devices are kept online as much as possible so that Amazon can use them to gather usage statistics, show ads (suggested books), and encourage making purchases directly from the device. It's all about making new sales.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I do not think that doing away with Download & Transfer is mainly about blocking DRM removal. I believe it is more about assuring that Kindle devices are kept online as much as possible so that Amazon can use them to gather usage statistics, show ads (suggested books), and encourage making purchases directly from the device. It's all about making new sales.

Yes, and they want SUBSCRIPTIONS! KU etc, which can't use D&T.

[jlinear]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I do not think that doing away with Download & Transfer is mainly about blocking DRM removal. I believe it is more about assuring that Kindle devices are kept online as much as possible so that Amazon can use them to gather usage statistics, show ads (suggested books), and encourage making purchases directly from the device. It's all about making new sales.

Probably true. But Amazon does provide "Airplane" mode. Why penalize customers for using it? Same with D&T. Why penalize customers for using it? They apparently want to create a closed system and put their customers into a straightjacket for the sake of improved sales. Probably won't matter for the majority of users. Others will go elsewhere.

[Alfirin]

Well, I'm business is elsewhere now.
But I still can't get around there stupidity.

[Josieb1]

I currently have enough ebooks to keep me reading for the rest of my life. I also create ebooks from fan fiction and send those to my Kindle so if Amazon remove D&T I will buy my ebooks elsewhere (kobo or Smashwords, even author sites). I have three Kindles and a Kobo so reader exclusivity isn’t a thing, I just prefer the cloud syncing between my Kindles.

[lkmiller]

Sadly they'll always be a few step ahead. There's no way someone comes with a method which could work with the next version of Amazon's DRM, and the next, and the next, etc.

Of course not, but we use to be at a truce where we could at least remove the current DRM. At the moment, we have to use methods to get older versions of their DRM, and there are a few books for which that is not possible.

[Frogm4n]

Originally Posted by Josieb1

I also create ebooks from fan fiction and send those to my Kindle so if Amazon remove D&T I will buy my ebooks elsewhere (kobo or Smashwords, even author sites)

D&T has nothing at all to do with uploading your own content with Send to Kindle, or with copying your own content over USB. It only for Kindle store purchases and nothing more.

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

D&T has nothing at all to do with uploading your own content with Send to Kindle, or with copying your own content over USB. It only for Kindle store purchases and nothing more.

I understand that. I just pointed it out as a means to indicate I don’t need to buy books from Amazon.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by jhowell

I do not think that doing away with Download & Transfer is mainly about blocking DRM removal. I believe it is more about assuring that Kindle devices are kept online as much as possible so that Amazon can use them to gather usage statistics, show ads (suggested books), and encourage making purchases directly from the device. It's all about making new sales.

I only sync my kindle when I've purchased or borrowed a bunch of new books, maybe a couple times a month. That's certainly adequate for them to gather usage statistics, displayed to me in my phone kindle app. I did (when I had a device with ads) often keep it offline long enough that the ads aged off. I keep the kindle offline not out of principle, but to preserve battery life, and it's become a habit.

It has never really felt convenient buying books on my kindle, although I've done it. Unwieldy interface. I switch to my phone or tablet (on browser) these days.