Amazon Caves on Text-To-Speech - Page 6

JSWolf · 03-03-2009, 06:24 PM

So who is going to have to sort out the eBooks already in AZW format that are to have the TTS disable flag added? Does Amazon have tools for this to add it to the format for submission? If a new version has to be sorted by the publisher, will Amazon make the TTS disabled submissions top priority to replace the copy already for sale?

The best solution to the problem would be to have the rights holder contact Amazon and have the flag added to disable TTS within a week of contacting Amazon. The other solution would be to have TTS disabled unless the flag is there to say yes. That would definitely mean DRM cannot be stripped as it would most likely strip this flag too. So for TTS enabled eBooks, they'd have to be infected chock full of the nasty DRM virus.

DaleDe · 03-03-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It would be a lot easier for everyone concerned if Amazon just did away with TTS. Then the legalities of DRM stripping will be obvious.

Not true IMHO. The method they are using will place continuing visibility on the problem. One time events will simply pass in a few weeks but an ongoing issue will still pressure the authors and provide an ongoing problem that they will continually have to deal with. I hope other eBook readers add TTS.

Dale

robb01 · 03-03-2009, 07:54 PM

I knew amazon would eventually do this

Nate the great · 03-10-2009, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Here is what the copyright office says:

from:
http://www.copyright.gov/1201/2006/index.html

So if a DRMed ebook can't be run through TTS software because of the DRM, you can legally remove it. The really cool part is that it doesn't matter why you want to remove the DRM. If a title is available only in eReader, you can remove the DRM. If it is available in MSReader but has the TTS disabled, you can remove the DRM.

The K2 threatened this becuase it had the vast majority of ebook available in the US, and it could play all of them on TTS.

God bless the Author's Guild.

I was completely wrong on this.

If I had written the exception quoted above, I would have stated who it applied to and why. They did not because the limited nature of the exception is stated in the DMCA. Basically, you can only remove DRM from ebooks if you need to use TTS. If you are not adversely affected by TTS being disabled, you cannot remove DRM.

I thought about not posting this. It's very likely that no one would have bothered to look up the applicable law and find my mistake. But I decided it was more important to give people the correct information.

HarryT · 03-11-2009, 05:08 AM

Excellent news, Nate. Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention. This should certainly silence the "jokers" who thought that they had an excuse to break the law and remove DRM from eBooks.

Well done!

Shaggy · 03-11-2009, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Excellent news, Nate. Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention. This should certainly silence the "jokers" who thought that they had an excuse to break the law and remove DRM from eBooks.

I agree that was a pretty weak excuse. There are plenty of better ones.

Nate the great · 03-11-2009, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaggy

I agree that was a pretty weak excuse. There are plenty of better ones.

I don't see it as an excuse. I thought it was legally valid conclusion based on the information I had.

Shaggy · 03-11-2009, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I don't see it as an excuse. I thought it was legally valid conclusion based on the information I had.

I know, I was just responding to Harry using his "loaded" terms.

kevindorsey · 03-11-2009, 11:16 PM

It seems kind of ironic that half the threads about Amazon are bitchin' about DRM.

zadriel · 04-11-2009, 06:44 PM

Whose hacked the DRM to be able to keep access to TTS? Has anyone come up with an easy way to make sure this stays available to us? If so please email me through the system here, or shoot one to trickstands AT aol DOT com. I don't want to advocate piracy here, and I am not interested in a discussion of piracy. What I want is to be able to 1. keep hearing my tts... which the copyright office says I have a right to. AND 2. be able to take my books to another device should i leave kindle 2 behind. thanks for your advice!

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03-03-2009, 06:24 PM	#76
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,785 Karma: 146391129 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	So who is going to have to sort out the eBooks already in AZW format that are to have the TTS disable flag added? Does Amazon have tools for this to add it to the format for submission? If a new version has to be sorted by the publisher, will Amazon make the TTS disabled submissions top priority to replace the copy already for sale? The best solution to the problem would be to have the rights holder contact Amazon and have the flag added to disable TTS within a week of contacting Amazon. The other solution would be to have TTS disabled unless the flag is there to say yes. That would definitely mean DRM cannot be stripped as it would most likely strip this flag too. So for TTS enabled eBooks, they'd have to be infected chock full of the nasty DRM virus.

03-03-2009, 07:54 PM	#78
robb01 Connoisseur Posts: 81 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Kindle	I knew amazon would eventually do this

03-11-2009, 05:08 AM	#80
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,545 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Excellent news, Nate. Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention. This should certainly silence the "jokers" who thought that they had an excuse to break the law and remove DRM from eBooks. Well done!

03-11-2009, 11:16 PM	#84
kevindorsey Evangelist Posts: 488 Karma: 258 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: kindle	It seems kind of ironic that half the threads about Amazon are bitchin' about DRM.

04-11-2009, 06:44 PM	#85
zadriel Member Posts: 14 Karma: 30 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: kindle 2	Whose hacked the DRM to be able to keep access to TTS? Has anyone come up with an easy way to make sure this stays available to us? If so please email me through the system here, or shoot one to trickstands AT aol DOT com. I don't want to advocate piracy here, and I am not interested in a discussion of piracy. What I want is to be able to 1. keep hearing my tts... which the copyright office says I have a right to. AND 2. be able to take my books to another device should i leave kindle 2 behind. thanks for your advice!

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