KFX and Amazon's policies

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Frog. Water. Getting warmer. No one can say when or if "too hot" will happen.

The first book that I buy which won't allow me downloading a version that I can open and read in calibre is going to be the last I buy from Amazon.

That is exactly when "too hot" is reached.

I guess within a few days or hours of that happening, anyone here on MR will be aware of it and cease buying from Amazon until a workaround is available.

[JSWolf]

As of now, it's very easy to get KF8 instead of KF8. How long that will last, I have no idea. Thing is, I can see Amazon going down the road of you have no devices that don't support KFX so all you'll get is KFX where possible. You'd need a Kindle that doesn't support KFX in order to not get KFX.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

.. You'd need a Kindle that doesn't support KFX in order to not get KFX.

That is if Amazon even bothers. Even an Oasis 2 gives you KF8 as download, and it shipped with KFX capable firmware.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by haertig

If they do somehow switch to KFX only, that might save me from myself (buying more books). Looking at my library, which is small compared to many here, I am covered for new novels until I'm 96 years old at my typical reading speed of about one book per month. If I'm still kicking after that, I guess I can go back and re-read a few of my favorites. But by then, I figure the Kindle's battery will be long dead, and people won't even remember what a Kindle is (was).

If Amazon was to go KFX only, they would piss off anyone who didn't have a Kindle Paperwhite 2 or later. Everyone else would not be able to buy any eBooks from Amazon. I do think that Mobi will go before Amazon goes KFX only.

[haertig]

The market will decide what is "too locked down with DRM" and "costs too much". Until (if?) the market puts their collective foot down, expect both of these things to continue increasing. If the market balks, either (1) Amazon/publishers/etc will back off, or (2) eBook sales will decline significantly and the format may possibly go the way of the dinosaur.

The world will not end. This is not a must-have technology. If Amazon/publishers/etc treat it as such, they will simply hasten their own demise. That's all. Reading will not become extinct. My understanding is that eBooks are already in decline vs. paper-based books. I like eBooks fine, but could live without them.

[Deskisamess]

I could "live" without e-books. But I couldn't read without them.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

The first book that I buy which won't allow me downloading a version that I can open and read in calibre is going to be the last I buy from Amazon.

That is exactly when "too hot" is reached.

I guess within a few days or hours of that happening, anyone here on MR will be aware of it and cease buying from Amazon until a workaround is available.

Everyone's critical temperature is different.

But even though you know what yours is, you still can not say whether amazon will ever actually do it, and if they do, when.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Thanks. I guess that succeeds in inserting a shade of gray.

Originally Posted by jhowell

Amazon doesn't promise no DRM. They just state "Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited" for some books

Hmm, "weasel words" springs to mind. Doesn't the Tor copyright notice state something like:

The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you without Digital Rights Management software applied so that you can enjoy reading it on your personal devices...

Amazon now interpret this as meaning restricted to "your personal eink Kindle devices". It's all going a bit Animal Farm. Some devices are more equal than others.

[JSWolf]

Given that Tor now sells DRM free eBooks, doesn't KFX go against this?

[Shad Plante]

The wording in the description for Tor titles on Amazon is:

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

How can they state that and then put any kind of DRM on there?

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Everyone's critical temperature is different.

But even though you know what yours is, you still can not say whether amazon will ever actually do it, and if they do, when.

Sure, everybody's critical temperature is different. And I simply do not care. There is plenty of stuff that I can read which is available now in the public domain. I wouldn't stop using Amazon unless they also decide to stop KU. I just won't buy any new ebook from them.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Hmm, "weasel words" springs to mind. Doesn't the Tor copyright notice state something like:

I wasn't aware of that.

Excellent point. I hope Tor make an issue of it. (But I bet the contract addresses it.)

[haertig]

Originally Posted by Shad Plante

How can they state that and then put any kind of DRM on there?

Simple. It's called "lying". People and corporations have been doing it forever.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by haertig

The market will decide what is "too locked down with DRM" and "costs too much". Until (if?) the market puts their collective foot down, expect both of these things to continue increasing. If the market balks, either (1) Amazon/publishers/etc will back off, or (2) eBook sales will decline significantly and the format may possibly go the way of the dinosaur.

The world will not end. This is not a must-have technology. If Amazon/publishers/etc treat it as such, they will simply hasten their own demise. That's all. Reading will not become extinct. My understanding is that eBooks are already in decline vs. paper-based books. I like eBooks fine, but could live without them.

Only for the big publishers are ebook sales down. Ebooks are like microwaves, contrary to what some people think neither are going anywhere.

Report from Big 5 says ebook sales are down, report from data guy states sales are up.
Both are correct. People are buying more indie ebooks and less Big 5 ebooks. So yes, technically sales are down for the group profiled but that is not the only group with ebooks.
Rather like a designer saying microwaves are going the way of the dinosaurs because most people he comes in contact with don't want them.
Note people that actually use a designer are more niche than people that use ereaders.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Rather like a designer saying microwaves are going the way of the dinosaurs because most people he comes in contact with don't want them.
Note people that actually use a designer are more niche than people that use ereaders.

Interesting you say that. When I designed and researched my own kitchen for remodel I came across a lot of fancy microwaves. Microwaves so expensive and silly that only those that hire a designer can actually afford them.