Kindle book lending - cheating

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by CRussel

As anyone who reads these forums knows, I don't like DRM and do everything I can to circumvent it and encourage others to do so as well. Not as a way to steal, but as a way to liberate books from silly format restrictions and as a way to protect your use of the product you bought.

I'm with you 100%.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by CRussel

First, let me be clear. I strip the DRM from every book that I get. Even when I download directly from Amazon, at the earliest opportunity I liberate the book and reload it back onto the Kindle. So I have no personal issues with DRM removal whatsoever.

However, that being said, I do have issues with removing DRM and then giving the book to someone. Now you have committed theft, pure and simple. This is not the same as registering their Kindle and downloading the book to it. I think that is theft as well, but it is, at least, controlled to only those you'd clearly be willing to give your account to.

If you use the official way to lend a book to someone, you lose access to it while they have it. Just as with a physical book. If you give them a DRM-stripped book, there are no limits. You still have the book, they can keep it forever, and they can give it to anyone else without restriction. To me, that's crossed the line and you're stealing from the author, pure and simple.

As anyone who reads these forums knows, I don't like DRM and do everything I can to circumvent it and encourage others to do so as well. Not as a way to steal, but as a way to liberate books from silly format restrictions and as a way to protect your use of the product you bought.

[AkumaTakeshi]

Did a quick search and didn't find nothing about the advantages of having the DRM removed from the book. I didn't want to start a new thread either just for that, but if you think it's the best thing to do I will do so.

But, can you link to me some thread, post or website that says what are the advantages of removing the DRM? For what I understood you can reformat the book if it doesn't have DRM, something more?

[abookreader]

The main adavantage (IMHO) isn't just being able to format shift for various devices although that is part of it. For instance in my family we have a couple of Kindles, a couple of iPADS, and a nook color. Legally, my books (that I pay money for) are locked into whatever devices they can be DRM'd to display on. Morally, most people think they should be able to put the books (that they pay money for) on whatever device they choose to read it on.

My books are liberated as insurance that I will hopefully always be able to read them on whatever devices I might own in the future. These DRM schemes are dynamic and so far the "tools" have pretty much been able to keep pace. There's a slight change in how a file is locked down and the techie geniuses update the tools so we can keep unlocking them. But there is no guarantee that will always be the case. So many think it best to unlock and back-up as you buy rather than depending on an uncertain future.

There are plenty of current cases of companies going out of business and their DRM schemes and Cloud Storage being un-workable in the modern device climate.

[Barneyabz]

Main advantage is that the book remains on your system if you fall out with Amazon. Not many people know or realise that although you have paid for the book, if Amazon decide to blackball you and close your account all your books will disappear. Apparently you don't own the books but have licensed them from Amazon for your use and once Amazon closes your account you have no right to retain them. Can't understand how they have managed to get away with this system but they have!

Main reason why I remove DRM on all books.


Cheers

Barney

[AkumaTakeshi]

Hum ok, nice to know, thanks for the answers

And I'm guessing if the publisher decides for example that he don't want the book to be available on Europe later one or something like that I can lose that book too !!!

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by Barneyabz

Main advantage is that the book remains on your system if you fall out with Amazon. Not many people know or realise that although you have paid for the book, if Amazon decide to blackball you and close your account all your books will disappear. Apparently you don't own the books but have licensed them from Amazon for your use and once Amazon closes your account you have no right to retain them. Can't understand how they have managed to get away with this system but they have!

Main reason why I remove DRM on all books.


Cheers

Barney

That is pretty interesting. Do you have some proof of that?

[abookreader]

There was a big hoo-ha a couple of years ago where some guy got his Amazon account terminated by returning too many expensive electronics.
And yes, he lost access to his Kindle books and then he went on a blog rampage. I can't say I've seen a ton of stories about Amazon accounts being shut-down though.

I can remember a poster on one of the boards, I'm not sure if it was MobileRead or another, his Amazon account was hacked and Amazon closed the account and had him open a new account. They couldn't transfer the Kindle titles to his new account so they issued a gift certificate refund for the cost of all his Kindle books and let him re-buy or buy new ones ... his choice.

[ucfgrad93]

Link to the blog or stories? I'd like to read up on this.

[abookreader]

This is his post here. If you Google you can find some more blog posts he made.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...amazon+banning

[volwrath]

Originally Posted by CRussel

However, that being said, I do have issues with removing DRM and then giving the book to someone. Now you have committed theft, pure and simple.

I disagree. If you remove drm, dont use the book while a friend reads it, and have him delete it when hes done, how is that different? Or how is lending him your account any different because he can remove drm just as good as you.

[carld]

Such account sharing is now against the law in Tennessee.

Stealing $500 or less of entertainment would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of $2,500. Theft with a higher price tag would be a felony, with heavier penalties.

[RainingLemur]

Originally Posted by carld

Such account sharing is now against the law in Tennessee.

Account sharing now against the law? I had heard about this happening with Netflix earlier this week... While it makes some sense, it still strikes me as stupid overall.

[DiapDealer]

Next thing you know, simply breaking the law will be illegal.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Barneyabz

Main advantage is that the book remains on your system if you fall out with Amazon. Not many people know or realise that although you have paid for the book, if Amazon decide to blackball you and close your account all your books will disappear.

You would only lose your books if you'd been foolish enough not to keep copies of them on your own device, and that would be plain daft. No bookstore guarantees to keep copies of your purchases available "forever". ALWAYS make a copy as soon as you buy it.