Rick MonroFeb 4, 2023

Discovered during the week I was unable to access a Kindle book purchased in 2013. Reason? The order was “too old”, and refund issued to buy again. Which was pointless as the book is now more expensive than when I bought it.

Subsequently discovered 66(!!) other ebooks no longer available for download.

Currently 40 minutes in to a support chat with Amazon.

About to learn, I think, whether we purchase ebooks, or rent them…

[Edit: documenting progress in this thread https://mastodon.online/@monro/109812445178130161]

Rick Monro (@[email protected])

Attached: 1 image The problem first appeared last week, when I attempted to open a book on my Kindle. The book cover appeared in my Library as normal. When I tapped on it, the following message appeared:

Mastodon
Show threadPaul McBrideFeb 4, 2023
@monro oh no. I do not like the sound of that!
Show threadRick MonroFeb 4, 2023
@ThePaulMcBride Not the most satisfying of outcomes, but at least I kinda have the books I want again (or will have 🤪)
Show threadPaul McBrideFeb 4, 2023
@monro sounds like a nightmare. I have a kindle purely because it is the best e-reader hardware. I wish I could have my own copy of the books in epub format though.
Show threadRandi EEAFeb 4, 2023
@ThePaulMcBride @monro This is why i backup all my e-books using Calibre....
Show threadChelle (she/her) 🐸☕Feb 5, 2023

@Reea @ThePaulMcBride @monro Yup I do the same.

If I buy something, I want to OWN it, not rent it at the whims of some corporation. DRM be damned.

Show threadTor LillqvistFeb 5, 2023
@WestCoastChelle @monro @Reea @ThePaulMcBride So you mean one doesn’t need to obey the terms of the license for immaterial works one gets? Does that hold for companies using FLOSS software, too, should they also be allowed to choose not to bother with what the license requires if they don’t like the terms? Interesting. #DRM #FLOSS
Show threadRui MalheiroFeb 5, 2023

@tml please don't equate DRM to FLOSS. The obvious difference is in the name. Free and libre. DRM gives power to the corporate holder, FLOSS gives power to the end user.

That is why Amazon victims are now having to repurchase what they thought they already have.
What you're saying is that people need to abide by rules without challenging their moral value and that just plays into the hands of the psychopaths that couldn't care less about your moral values.

@WestCoastChelle @monro @Reea @ThePaulMcBride

Show threadTor LillqvistFeb 5, 2023
@chromatic @WestCoastChelle @monro @Reea @ThePaulMcBride If you don’t like Amazon’s terms and conditions for their immaterial servicew, don’t purchase such from them? Buy physical books whose contents licensing is well understood since a long time.
Show threadJulia Heiler

@tml @chromatic @WestCoastChelle @monro @Reea @ThePaulMcBride

"Buy physical books" does NOT WORK FOR MOST PEOPLE, because guess what, THOSE TAKE UP SPACE. Very often more space than might be available in a person's apartment / room / house. Also, for people with disabilities, they can be harder to carry or be hard to read because you can't adjust brightness, font, etc..

Feb 5, 2023 at 10:05amWeb
Show threadBill AdlerFeb 5, 2023

@AndarthaRasri @tml @chromatic @WestCoastChelle @monro @Reea @ThePaulMcBride

I love paper books and had a large library. Sadly, I could only take a handful with me with I moved from the US to Japan.