Amazon - Will they become evil

[DiapDealer]

Did someone mention strippers?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Did someone mention strippers?

DRM strippers. What were you thinking?

[banjobama]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Did someone mention strippers?

Clicked "Last" to get to the end of the thread and this is the top post

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by banjobama

Clicked "Last" to get to the end of the thread and this is the top post

Ditto.
Not totally surprised, though, given the moralizing inherent in the subject quetion.
Just a matter of time before it pops up.

[darryl]

Originally Posted by Rizla

In other news related to those who wish to back up their books: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=266035

Removing drm may become a criminal offense. As one poster notes: No more Apprentice Alf. It may turn out that Amazon won't even need kfx to stop book conversion.

Please stop this scare-mongering. We are dealing with at least as many jurisdictions as there are countries. DRM removal has been illegal in some countries for some time. In other countries it is uncertain or questionable. In some countries there are no problems or generous exceptions. I don't believe you are so naive as to believe that simply making something illegal is going to eliminate it. Particularly if the law is a bad one. Alf can be hosted in a jurisdiction where there is no problem, or distributed via Tor or I2P or other deep web technologies if necessary.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by darryl

Please stop this scare-mongering. We are dealing with at least as many jurisdictions as there are countries. DRM removal has been illegal in some countries for some time. In other countries it is uncertain or questionable. In some countries there are no problems or generous exceptions. I don't believe you are so naive as to believe that simply making something illegal is going to eliminate it. Particularly if the law is a bad one. Alf can be hosted in a jurisdiction where there is no problem, or distributed via Tor or I2P or other deep web technologies if necessary.

But darryl if some don't scare-monger than Amazon might win.

[Barbara1955]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

But darryl if some don't scare-monger than Amazon might win.

Amazon is a Business & could go under or Jeff decide to close the doors. & Take everything customers purchased with it.

[DiapDealer]

Same as it ever was.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by OldLincoln

Like I said I just used Calibre as a library for a long time and thought because the books are on my computer I was protected. I discovered I wasn't so have been converting to epub and using FBReader instead of Kindle. These books, all AZW, wouldn't convert so I tried to read them on kindle device as is and they each give the msg to remove it from my device and download again. Only they aren't available to download. I'm working my way through all 6800 books and now have found only a few with AZW that I haven't read. All the others are also converted to other formats.

It's difficult for some to accept that one such as I will not hand out bootleg copies. I treat my library with respect and read most all day long, both because I am an immersive reader and enjoy it and because my circumstances limit my options.

I'm pretty much over my rant but think others who think they are safe keeping books in the Amazon format may want to consider keeping a copy in epub which I believe is an open format now. Another tip... some wonder why is that weirdo collecting all those books. I admit I get most of them from the free books. I have seen Amazon mistreat their authors and make changes to policy. I have Kindle Unlimited but consider that my be an intermediate step toward discontinuing free books. So I get them now and read them later breaking the Amazon connection once on my machine.

That is a DRM error. You should DeDRM your books -- see https://apprenticealf.wordpress.com


As for keeping a copy as an EPUB -- if you don't DeDRM your books, you cannot convert to EPUB!
And if you DeDRM your books, you are safe keeping books in the Amazon format.


To reiterate -- the one and only problem you have is that your books appear to have been DRMed.

And DRMed books in the EPUB format are just as closed as DRMed books in the Kindle format(s).




P.S. Has anyone claimed you are handing out bootleg copies? If not, why are you defending yourself against the accusation?

Originally Posted by OldLincoln

Well then I'd try to open it on the original device (now my wife's) except it isn't on that device and not in the cloud. So I'll side load it and check your theory out. That is IF she can find the little critter. Do have to say it seems a bit odd of a theory tho as Amazon claims you can read them across all your devices and even loan them out. Hard to do that it they are hard coded. But I'm a bit of a character so I'll give it a try. Say, if you have any AZW's maybe you'll try it on other devices and we'll have a real survey.

Amazon is entirely correct. You can download your books for any device.
What you cannot do is download for one device and use the same file on another device -- you need to download a new file for the new device.
Because DRM.


This is why everyone here will tell you, if you want to back up your books on your computer, simply adding the books to calibre does nothing in the long term!!!

You MUST use Apprentice Alf's plugin to strip the DRM from any books that are DRMed!

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by OldLincoln

Well Mr Wolf, I'm sure you're okay but I'll not trust anybody with my books. I have most of the 6700 converted now and will back them up to my mirrored backup drives before I go to bead and likely put them on my USB backup tomorrow. Nothin much else to do anyway. What is being said is similar to what I've found. Many of the books I bought in 2012 and 2013 are gone from the cloud. Note this was after they went to the AZW3 format. They may do better with the new format overwriting the cloud but I wouldn't be surprised if they stopped at some date and said screw to earlier purchases.

I don't think I've ever heard of this happening before.

Standard Operating Policy for Amazon when a book is removed from the Kindle Store, is to continue providing access to is for any customer who purchased it.
And plenty of books still download as MOBI-only (even on the latest devices) -- none of them have been removed from the Kindle Store -- or customer accounts -- just because they aren't available in AZW3.



If you seem to be suffering from a contrary experience, I suggest you call Amazon Customer Service and ask what happened to your purchases.
Maybe you are making a mistake.
Maybe Amazon made a mistake.
Maybe Amazon has truly confiscated your purchases.

Whichever is the case, Customer Service may be able to clear things up.



Continuing to discuss it here is not going to uncover any facts other than the ones that have been repeatedly posted and counter-posted here.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by darryl

Please stop this scare-mongering.

Once again the logic behind your reasoning escapes me. It is hardly scare-mongering to discuss the possibilities of the kfx file format. These possibilities are entirely in keeping with Amazon's evident long-term strategy of implementing a walled-garden. I find it odd that you would characterize as "scare-mongering" the discussion of the potential long-term functionality and intent of the kfx format. *shrugs*

[Rizla]

I doubt many Kindle users bother or know how to convert and backup books. Closing off the ability to read media on non-Amazon devices is unlikely to hurt their sales much.The increasing shutdown of options for fonts, formatting and jail-breaking reinforces this. The Kindles are becoming increasingly simplified and closed and I would guess that the vast majority of Kindle users are not even aware of it.

Personally I see no issue with this. There are alternatives available to consumers who are uncomfortable with the direction Amazon is very clearly going in. That's the beauty of the market.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Rizla

Closing off the ability to read media on non-Amazon devices is unlikely to hurt their sales much.

They are not "closing off the ability to read media on non-Amazon devices". You can read Kindle books on any Apple or Android phone or tablet, any PC or Mac - heck, any device with a web browser. That seems to cover "non-Amazon devices" pretty comprehensively to me.

[Rizla]

Originally Posted by HarryT

They are not "closing off the ability to read media on non-Amazon devices". You can read Kindle books on any Apple or Android phone or tablet, any PC or Mac - heck, any device with a web browser. That seems to cover "non-Amazon devices" pretty comprehensively to me.

A very fair point and thank you for the correction. Even if kfx becomes the standard for Kindles and proves impossible to convert, users will continue to be able read their media on a variety of devices, though possibly not on any other e-ink devices, though that's debatable.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

They are not "closing off the ability to read media on non-Amazon devices". You can read Kindle books on any Apple or Android phone or tablet, any PC or Mac - heck, any device with a web browser. That seems to cover "non-Amazon devices" pretty comprehensively to me.

I think that level of availabilty right there is why most people just don't care about Amazon's "walled garden" (a phrase that needs to die a horrible death, IMO). Because it ISN'T walled. Their garden is open to anyone who wants to come play in it--no entry fee required even. Hop in or out anytime you like. Bring any smart-phone, tablet, PC (or yes, Kindle device) you like with you.

The only ones who can't play in Amazon's garden are those who fear the plants will grow teeth and eat them. And even then, their exclusion is by their own choice.