Amazon uses DMCA to restrict where you can buy e-books
Read more at Mobileread. This does not sound good. I will never cover Kindle nor use Kindle for iPhone until Amazon sorts this out.
More at techdirt.
Read more at Mobileread. This does not sound good. I will never cover Kindle nor use Kindle for iPhone until Amazon sorts this out.
More at techdirt.
Ocell 8:36 AM on March 15, 2009 Permalink
That’s not cool, but I can understand where they’re coming from.
Amazon’s business model isn’t dependent on selling Kindle hardware, it’s on being the gateway for content across several platforms. They’re going to make much more money by taking a cut from ebook sales than they would just selling hardware. This is a move to protect their ecosystem of content delivery and consumption.
I’m not saying it doesn’t suck, but it’s business.
Joel 3:21 PM on March 15, 2009 Permalink
Yes, I understand where they’re coming from too. But I don’t like they way they bullied their way to present their point. Just an email, I’m sure, would have worked.
terry chay 8:38 AM on March 17, 2009 Permalink
Hmm, my guess is they’re trying to prevent someone using the Kindle to make eBook purchases on the Kindle via WhisperNet. Amazon doesn’t have a problem for using the Kindle to read books purchased from MobileRead since the kbr format is already available and works via USB connection.
The Kindle is NOT a loss leader, but the WhiserNet service is.
Am I misreading it?
terry chay 8:40 AM on March 17, 2009 Permalink
I mean this going forward. Right now what this tool does is make you read encrypted books purchased from sites other than Amazon. Unencrypted books can still be read but you need this python script to read encrypted ones.
Joel 8:47 AM on March 17, 2009 Permalink
Terry, MobileRead is just a forum. They do not sell ebooks and they do not even host the script.
Again, Amazon is right to be alarmed but sending their lawyers with guns blazing is not the way to do it.
We experienced something similar with Sony a few years ago (a trademark dispute). Sony emailed. Actually they asked nicely about the problem. We complied and it was over. Our respect for Sony even improved.