Seriousness Kindle’s DRM Rears Its Ugly Head - Is it true?

astra · 06-21-2009, 11:15 AM

I just stumbled upon this article:
Kindle’s DRM Rears Its Ugly Head… And It IS Ugly

Although, I hate DRM but even I find it hard to believe it. Is it true what this guy is claiming?

P.S. Trolls stay away. I just want to know whether it is true or slander.

desertgrandma · 06-21-2009, 11:32 AM

I'm not sure about the story, it may well be true.

However, one thing I am sure of. The customer service rep's knowledge/helpfulness varies from phone call to phone call.

I would have called back a couple of times at least to get differing info. This is what the Kindle page on Amazon says

have your entire library with you.

"Automatic Library Backup: Download Your Books Anytime for Free

A copy of every book you purchased from the Kindle Store is backed up online at Amazon.com in case you ever need to download it again. You can wirelessly re-download books for free any time. This allows you to make room for new titles on your Kindle, knowing that Amazon is storing your personal library of Kindle books. We even back up your last page read and annotations, so you'll never lose those, either. Think of it as a bookshelf in your attic--even though you don't see it, you know your books are there"

Nowhere does it say there is a limit to the times you can download.

astra · 06-21-2009, 11:34 AM

I think if no one on this forum encountered this problem, the story might be fake.

zelda_pinwheel · 06-21-2009, 11:41 AM

there's already a discussion about this article here :
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49371

there is a suggestion that the download limit might actually be a device limit, although it's still unclear to me since the article clearly suggests otherwise.

an easy way to test the theory would be for someone who has a kindle to download one of their books repeatedly (ideally, one they either don't plan to re-read, or one which they have backed up drm-free already, if they might want to re-read it) and see whether they eventually lose access to it (for downloading from amazon's servers). no way to know how many downloads it will take to hit the limit but i get the impression it shouldn't be more than 10 or so (maybe less). in one of the comments, the author claims to have done this, and lost access after a certain number of downloads.

Nate the great · 06-21-2009, 11:42 AM

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49371

astra · 06-21-2009, 11:43 AM

Sorry guys for duplicate topic. Close this one please.

zelda_pinwheel · 06-21-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

Sorry guys for duplicate topic. Close this one please.

okay, i'll close it.

i'd be interested to know the results of that experiment, if anyone decides to do it.

06-21-2009, 11:15 AM	#1
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	Kindle’s DRM Rears Its Ugly Head - Is it true? I just stumbled upon this article: Kindle’s DRM Rears Its Ugly Head… And It IS Ugly Although, I hate DRM but even I find it hard to believe it. Is it true what this guy is claiming? P.S. Trolls stay away. I just want to know whether it is true or slander.

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06-21-2009, 11:32 AM	#2
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	I'm not sure about the story, it may well be true. However, one thing I am sure of. The customer service rep's knowledge/helpfulness varies from phone call to phone call. I would have called back a couple of times at least to get differing info. This is what the Kindle page on Amazon says have your entire library with you. "Automatic Library Backup: Download Your Books Anytime for Free A copy of every book you purchased from the Kindle Store is backed up online at Amazon.com in case you ever need to download it again. You can wirelessly re-download books for free any time. This allows you to make room for new titles on your Kindle, knowing that Amazon is storing your personal library of Kindle books. We even back up your last page read and annotations, so you'll never lose those, either. Think of it as a bookshelf in your attic--even though you don't see it, you know your books are there" Nowhere does it say there is a limit to the times you can download.

06-21-2009, 11:34 AM	#3
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	I think if no one on this forum encountered this problem, the story might be fake.

06-21-2009, 11:41 AM	#4
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	there's already a discussion about this article here : https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49371 there is a suggestion that the download limit might actually be a device limit, although it's still unclear to me since the article clearly suggests otherwise. an easy way to test the theory would be for someone who has a kindle to download one of their books repeatedly (ideally, one they either don't plan to re-read, or one which they have backed up drm-free already, if they might want to re-read it) and see whether they eventually lose access to it (for downloading from amazon's servers). no way to know how many downloads it will take to hit the limit but i get the impression it shouldn't be more than 10 or so (maybe less). in one of the comments, the author claims to have done this, and lost access after a certain number of downloads.

06-21-2009, 11:42 AM	#5
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49371

06-21-2009, 11:43 AM	#6
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	Sorry guys for duplicate topic. Close this one please.

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