Comments on: Amazon sides with publishers, hurts future http://johnwilker.com/2009/07/amazon-sides-with-publishers-hurts-future/ Books, Community, Entrepreneurship, Technology Sat, 19 May 2012 09:53:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John Wilker http://johnwilker.com/2009/07/amazon-sides-with-publishers-hurts-future/comment-page-1/#comment-1979 John Wilker Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:03:34 +0000 http://johnwilker.com/?p=875#comment-1979 So would you expect wal-mart to come into your house to get goods that might have come from a chinese knock off factory unbeknownst to them? I admit, that's an extreme counter example. And my displeasure has nothing to do with the why. e-Content has given publishers (RIAA, MPAA, books, etc) this idea that they can charge us to "use" things, we're used to paying almost the same price for to OWN. Amazon is as guilty of this as they are, since their TOC is so crooked towards consumers. If Steven Kind decided he didn't want The Stand on shelves any more... Amazon could pull it. They say they won't, but their TOC makes it clear, I don't own my copy (I don't actually own a copy, but King is a popular name, makes for a better example) I'm simply borrowing it. There's no promise that should King decide I can't read The Stand any more, that I'll get my money back. This time Amazon refunded a few hundred (Thousand) people $.99, because, like you say, the copies were actually illegal. But would they refund me, if King simply said, "Pull it"? Or would my "limited license" simply run out, and my rental period ended? That the books were illegally listed, doesn't change the fact that Amazon has created a monster of publishers, selling us things, then changing the agreement with us after the fact. So would you expect wal-mart to come into your house to get goods that might have come from a chinese knock off factory unbeknownst to them? I admit, that's an extreme counter example. And my displeasure has nothing to do with the why.

e-Content has given publishers (RIAA, MPAA, books, etc) this idea that they can charge us to "use" things, we're used to paying almost the same price for to OWN.

Amazon is as guilty of this as they are, since their TOC is so crooked towards consumers. If Steven Kind decided he didn't want The Stand on shelves any more… Amazon could pull it. They say they won't, but their TOC makes it clear, I don't own my copy (I don't actually own a copy, but King is a popular name, makes for a better example) I'm simply borrowing it.

There's no promise that should King decide I can't read The Stand any more, that I'll get my money back. This time Amazon refunded a few hundred (Thousand) people $.99, because, like you say, the copies were actually illegal. But would they refund me, if King simply said, "Pull it"? Or would my "limited license" simply run out, and my rental period ended?

That the books were illegally listed, doesn't change the fact that Amazon has created a monster of publishers, selling us things, then changing the agreement with us after the fact.

]]> By: Glenn http://johnwilker.com/2009/07/amazon-sides-with-publishers-hurts-future/comment-page-1/#comment-1978 Glenn Mon, 20 Jul 2009 22:53:40 +0000 http://johnwilker.com/?p=875#comment-1978 I think it's worth noting that the books removed from Kindles were being offered by a publisher that didn't have rights to the content. I would be angry if the rightful publisher pulled content on a whim, but this is a case that's more like some dude selling unauthorized copies on the street. Yes, it's worth noting that Amazon did this, and users are correct to be wary, but I'd rather grab my pitchfork when it doesn't actually involve illegal activity. I think it's worth noting that the books removed from Kindles were being offered by a publisher that didn't have rights to the content. I would be angry if the rightful publisher pulled content on a whim, but this is a case that's more like some dude selling unauthorized copies on the street. Yes, it's worth noting that Amazon did this, and users are correct to be wary, but I'd rather grab my pitchfork when it doesn't actually involve illegal activity.

]]> By: Keith Peters http://johnwilker.com/2009/07/amazon-sides-with-publishers-hurts-future/comment-page-1/#comment-1976 Keith Peters Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:16:53 +0000 http://johnwilker.com/?p=875#comment-1976 I've started doing this with any Kindle books I buy from Amazon. Keep a non-DRMed backup just in case. <a href="http://nyquil.org/archives/1128-Converting-Kindle-Books-a-painful-process-that-works-for-reading-Kindle-books-without-a-Kindle.html" target="_blank">http://nyquil.org/archives/1128-Converting-Kindle...</a> I've started doing this with any Kindle books I buy from Amazon. Keep a non-DRMed backup just in case.

http://nyquil.org/archives/1128-Converting-Kindle…

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