Amazon removed books from my Kindle

[neil_swann80]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

And how, exactly, is Amazon to know that the files that were loaded with faked metadata are *not* actually corrupted Kindle store files that need to be cleaned up? The whole idea that Amazon should ignore files that the Kindle is told "are" Kindle store files is silly.

I disagree. Unless the file(s) in the Kindle library is/are specifically "borrowed", I don't think Amazon should be (without user permission) removing any files from the user library.

[Frogm4n]

Again, the files say "I really am a Kindle store file" so how is Amazon supposed to know that they *aren't*?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

Again, the files say "I really am a Kindle store file" so how is Amazon supposed to know that they *aren't*?

They should not delete them unless the user has deleted them, it's that simple. Not because they "should not exist" on the device. No guesswork.

It's not impossible, you know. They did it exactly that way for over a decade, until someone's stupid decision to automate some process, and now we have the current mess as the result.

[Frogm4n]

Right, and then Amazon leaves actually corrupt files sitting around that do things like get the indexer stuck and burn up battery life and people will whine and complain about their incompetence that they didn't get cleaned up. It's a no-win. People want the benefits of their files being treated as official Amazon files but don't want to suffer the consequences of their files being treated like official Amazon files.

"Treat this like an official file!" ... "Not like that!"

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

And how, exactly, is Amazon to know that the files that were loaded with faked metadata are *not* actually corrupted Kindle store files that need to be cleaned up? The whole idea that Amazon should ignore files that the Kindle is told "are" Kindle store files is silly.

Of course it isn't silly. Yes, Amazon should in fact ignore everything on the user's device without a specific action on the user's part.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

Right, and then Amazon leaves actually corrupt files sitting around that do things like get the indexer stuck and burn up battery life and people will whine and complain about their incompetence that they didn't get cleaned up. It's a no-win. People want the benefits of their files being treated as official Amazon files but don't want to suffer the consequences of their files being treated like official Amazon files.

"Treat this like an official file!" ... "Not like that!"

I don't remember anyone here ever demanding that Amazon delete their corrupted files. The whole idea is ridiculous. Amazon should not touch the files on the user's device on their own, period.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

Right, and then Amazon leaves actually corrupt files sitting around that do things like get the indexer stuck and burn up battery life

Is there any evidence that kindle firmware has ever dtermined that an ebook is stuck indexing or corrupted and deleted it?

[haertig]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

Again, the files say "I really am a Kindle store file"

No, the files aren't saying that. Amazon is presumptuously interpreting it that way.

How does Amazon get to lay claim on something simply because its content contains the four simple letters E B O K ? If they want to mark books they have sold, maybe they could do it in a bit more sophisticated manner? There are easy ways to digitally sign content in a secure way. Adding the letters "EBOK" to it is not one of those ways.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by haertig

No, the files aren't saying that. Amazon is presumptuously interpreting it that way.

How does Amazon get to lay claim on something simply because its content contains the four simple letters E B O K ? If they want to mark books they have sold, maybe they could do it in a bit more sophisticated manner? There are easy ways to digitally sign content in a secure way. Adding the letters "EBOK" to it is not one of those ways.

They are following their own standard. The "four simple letters" are in a particular metadata field, which exists to pass information.

I don't use kindle sync features. I wouldn't care if they went away, but there are people for whom they are important.

If this problem is caused by a bug, then that bug should certainly be fixed.

IMO, amazon takes many nefarious actions, but I don't think that this is one of them.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

The "four simple letters" are in a particular metadata field, which exists to pass information.

The way I see it, is this metadata is to pass information to the Kindle hardware/firmware regarding how it should handle a particular eBook. And there is nothing wrong with an individual trying to instruct the Kindle to give the same treatment to their personally owned eBook. The Kindle belongs to the customer, not Amazon. This metadata is not to pass information to Amazon so they can delete the book from the Kindle. On their whim. Without notice. Silently. Without adding a note to their logfile indicating what they have done or why. Personally, I call that "nefarious".