Post ASMMLuK3RyHtpPKmtU by mikeolson@mastodon.social
(DIR) More posts by mikeolson@mastodon.social
(DIR) Post #ASLRjWrQdYjAcr4GLw by monro@mastodon.online
2023-02-04T11:37:14Z
4 likes, 16 repeats
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…
(DIR) Post #ASLRjYaUDWMbyt9lDs by monro@mastodon.online
2023-02-04T11:57:56Z
0 likes, 3 repeats
Outcome after 1 hour: I need to repurchase each book, then reclaim from Amazon.Tech. Nol. O. Gy.
(DIR) Post #ASMIgxf7pPOsS1yQgy by brewsterkahle@mastodon.archive.org
2023-02-05T04:47:14Z
0 likes, 2 repeats
@monro We need to by ebooks as we bought books. as @maria puts it: "ebooks are books"digital ownership-- we need to demand it.
(DIR) Post #ASMKJ6ZpETRL3cFMxM by brewsterkahle@mastodon.archive.org
2023-02-05T05:11:51Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@monro @maria oops, "buy" not "by"
(DIR) Post #ASMMLuK3RyHtpPKmtU by mikeolson@mastodon.social
2023-02-05T05:34:17Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@brewsterkahle @monro @maria I want to. But I want to buy those ebooks from my local independent bookshop. I want the dedicated local folks who work there, curate the collection, suggest good reads to me, to benefit from my ebook purchases.So far, far too hard. Electronic copies are on the web. I can't get them down the street. I will keep buying paper from the shop I know until this gets fixed.
(DIR) Post #ASMkAy7NOcBvJXilLU by xarvh@mastodon.social
2023-02-04T15:48:56Z
2 likes, 0 repeats
@monro This is not a problem with technology, this is a problem with who technology gives power to.If you don't control an ebook you paid for, you didn't "buy" it, you rented it.
(DIR) Post #ASMkB647qaLPxmGHOC by realspiffy@hessen.social
2023-02-04T16:36:27Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@monro This has nothing to do with technology, but all with Amazon. What do you think would happen if you you terminated your Amazon account? I am surprised you didn’t realize that Amazon doesn’t actually sell e-books. You can try to convert the files of your books you can access on a computer into another format. Then you can keep them. Although I’m not sure whether you would infringe on copyright doing that.
(DIR) Post #ASMkBzxK34B1ItVdYm by FediThing@tech.lgbt
2023-02-05T09:08:14Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@monro Hey @libreture, textbook case against DRM here!
(DIR) Post #ASMlGs2f01vYA3tRUO by rafial@hackers.town
2023-02-05T04:00:26Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@monro I've a confirmed habit to download & rip every book shortly after I buy it. Seems like I'm just paranoid enough 😔
(DIR) Post #ASMlGsfIgMps5tyIiW by cnx@larkspur.one
2023-02-05T10:14:55.022036Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
ah @rafial, relevant xkcd by randall @monro here:Thinking of buying from audible.com or iTunes?Remember, if you unauthorizedly copy something, it’s yours for life. You can take it anywhere and it will always work.Flowchart: (You’re a Criminal)<-Unauthorizedly Copy<-(Buy or Unauthorizedly Copy)->Buy->(Things Change)->(You Try to Recover Your Collection)->(You’re a Criminal)But if you buy DRM-locked media, and you ever switch operating systems or new technology comes along, your collection could be lost.And if you try to keep it, you’ll be a criminal (DMCA 1201).So remember: if you want a collection you can count on, UNAUTHORIZEDLY COPY IT.Hey, you’ll be a criminal either way.(If you don’t like this, demand DRM-free files)
(DIR) Post #ASMm5VUWbMM4zU4WDw by brewsterkahle@mastodon.archive.org
2023-02-05T10:21:25Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@mikeolson @monro @maria Agreed. To have a healthy book/ebook culture we need lots of authors (that are paid), many publishers, many bookstores, many libraries, and everyone a reader.The big publishers are suing to stop this happening with ebooks.We need indy publishers to sell, really SELL, ebooks to show the way.Our library buys what we can. If you are a publisher willing to sell your ebooks to libraries , please write to info@archive.org
(DIR) Post #ASMryVHBbQ2G1NsPGS by maria@thelife.boats
2023-02-05T11:28:24Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@brewsterkahle @mikeolson @monro #publishers #independent #indie #media we're working on making it easy for publishers to sell books to libraries for keeps at thebrick.house, get in touch at maria | at | popula | dot | com if interested
(DIR) Post #ASN3FWNNrhGhqr5oO0 by levampyre@chaos.social
2023-02-05T08:35:02Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@monro How many of the books are "out of print"/unavailable now? Physical books can get lost, too. Had several in my library from the early 1900s that got lost during the war. But 2013 is really not that far away.
(DIR) Post #ASN3FWtdvl4ZSuBZfU by ArneBab@rollenspiel.social
2023-02-05T12:09:35Z
1 likes, 1 repeats
@levampyre According to a EU court ruling, you are also not allowed to re-sell ebooks, so once they go out of "print", they are completely removed from circulation.Underhanded preparation for digital book-burning. https://curia.europa.eu/juris/documents.jsf?nat=or&mat=or&pcs=Oor&jur=C%2CT%2CF&num=C-263%252F18&for=&jge=&dates=&language=en&pro=&cit=none%252CC%252CCJ%252CR%252C2008E%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252Ctrue%252Cfalse%252Cfalse&oqp=&td=%3BALL&avg=&lgrec=en&page=1&text=C%25E2%2580%2591263%252F18&lg=&cid=1741676@monro
(DIR) Post #ASN55MDUyz6LM4kZsG by mgorny@fosstodon.org
2023-02-05T10:04:12Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@monro, I wonder how much money would actually go to the author if you purchased it again.
(DIR) Post #ASN5658Pyim8fLiehc by RogerBW@emacs.ch
2023-02-04T19:59:31Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@monro if you don't own it, you don't own it.
(DIR) Post #ASN60ozseOHR7cmVoe by monro@mastodon.online
2023-02-05T13:45:31Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Thanks for all of the interest in this. The response has been overwhelming, and I won't be able to reply to everyone individually. So here is a thread of exactly what happened (illustrated!), and I'll keep it updated.
(DIR) Post #ASN60pbSOgL10AMWO0 by monro@mastodon.online
2023-02-05T13:48:57Z
0 likes, 3 repeats
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:
(DIR) Post #ASN60qFVzkNf0P6VpA by monro@mastodon.online
2023-02-05T13:55:15Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
I contacted Customer Support via chat. This is the key part of that conversation:
(DIR) Post #ASN60qobtGSAlFWXWi by shironeko@fedi.tesaguri.club
2023-02-05T14:07:16.598993Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@monro zlibrary
(DIR) Post #ASN60tfVHZx3bsHoFU by monro@mastodon.online
2023-02-05T13:59:21Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
I then checked through my Kindle and found quite a number of books that generated the same error.Then, I checked my order history and found other books I had forgotten about, but did not even appear on my Kindle.The original orders still exist for all of them in my Order History. However, many of them are not available in my Digital Content Library.
(DIR) Post #ASN60x3MhJoy6kTPMG by monro@mastodon.online
2023-02-05T14:02:12Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
The books are still available on Amazon (i.e. they have not been withdrawn by publishers or authors).The total is 66 ebooks. Once I discovered this, I contacted Customer Support again. This was a long and comprehensive chat, trying out many different options for recovering the books, synching etc.The result was this:
(DIR) Post #ASN611DRDoFt19DVc8 by monro@mastodon.online
2023-02-05T14:05:55Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
I have trawled my order history and have the Order Num for all of the missing books.My next step is to go through this process for maybe 5 books, and gauge how practical it is going to go through the process for every one.It's frustrating of course, but I am not angry at the Support folks (who undoubtedly have been doing the best they can), or publishers, or the authors.It looks like these books have fallen between the cracks of the Kindle ecosystem somehow.
(DIR) Post #ASNDkRlY3T1M4VmSVU by ericsfraga@fediscience.org
2023-02-05T14:27:58Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@cnxThe only DRM I am willing to accept is for books I borrow from the library.@rafial @monro
(DIR) Post #ASNDkSMPqOVlur1tyK by cnx@larkspur.one
2023-02-05T15:33:59.689598Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Hmmm @ericsfraga, there are certainly privacy concerns with RFID, but I don’t think they’re to directly restrict any right. Cc: @rafial and @monro
(DIR) Post #ASNEjXVvIZHlYzbT3g by cnx@larkspur.one
2023-02-05T15:45:02.400694Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@xarvos, RFID is used to tag books, e.g. for borrowing/returning automation. Cc: @ericsfraga
(DIR) Post #ASNGDXQqGeRDx15x3I by ericsfraga@fediscience.org
2023-02-05T15:52:45Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@cnxI was referring to ebooks I borrow, not physical dead wood books! @xarvos
(DIR) Post #ASNGDXsUbqYXKm229Q by cnx@larkspur.one
2023-02-05T16:01:40.270679Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
:ym_rofl: wait @ericsfraga, are you saying people actually download the same file multiple times to revisit a book they read in the past? cc: @xarvos
(DIR) Post #ASNKP9QhjUI0nip7WS by cstross@wandering.shop
2023-02-05T11:56:11Z
0 likes, 1 repeats
@monro This is why I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS crack the DRM on any ebook I purchase (and archive a DRM-free copy in an open file format). And why I've stopped buying new titles from Amazon (they "fixed" the DRM on Kindle files and there's no crack for new titles on sale since 01/01/2023). It's not because I'm a pirate, but because if I've paid for it I don't want to lose access to it due to negligence or malicious restraint of trade by the supplier.
(DIR) Post #ASNNcuT4SO8IJYBOBE by killyourfm@layer8.space
2023-02-05T17:24:21Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@monro It gets easier and easier to defend piracy in certain situations -- or better still, physical purchases across ALL media. I'm not condoning piracy, but damn these restrictions have to change.
(DIR) Post #ASNaSTkEG0uRwSZ4S0 by elmeteorollenodemiercoles@baraag.net
2023-02-05T19:48:23Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@monro Welcome to digital gaming, and Cloud gamin in the future.
(DIR) Post #ASNqr7ZJRWglfcENTE by hehemrin@social.librem.one
2023-02-05T22:52:13Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@monro DRM is irritating! I have once purchased a book from Apple store. I haven't figured out how I can read it on a non-apple device. And e-books from normal book stores seems to require Adobe-software. Like when borrowing from library, or the library app. E-books have their advantages, but indeed paper books are far better regarding ownership and privacy!
(DIR) Post #ASOSqTB5PYy8eu1224 by darth@silversword.online
2023-02-06T05:57:34Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@killyourfm @monro the original poster just made me go check all my Kindle purchases and I will download all of my books to my PC and sort them with Calibre. I have no intention of allowing this scenario to happen to me. Thank you for the heads up.
(DIR) Post #ASOY4gWN66eprpZMQa by piggo@piggo.space
2023-02-06T06:56:13.693745Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@monro never buy from amazon...
(DIR) Post #ASOe40GmmpSaYHKzOC by killyourfm@layer8.space
2023-02-06T08:03:18Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@darth @monro Analog is the way forward for me. When possible. This just keeps happening with increasing frequency across all entertainment mediums. Frankly I’m sick of it.
(DIR) Post #ASOerIW1jnTPKVyJQO by darth@silversword.online
2023-02-06T08:12:08Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@killyourfm @monro I have a different challenge. I never read books before the age of eBook readers. If I attempt to regress back to paper it will probably result in not reading books again, so there must be a middle ground which we could fight for. I want eBooks to behave like paper books. I want to lend some of them in the library. I want to purchase some of them for permanent ownership. I want to give some of my old ebooks to my friends.
(DIR) Post #ASOhzHU5kt9sJKZ5fs by thelinuxEXP@mastodon.social
2023-02-06T08:46:59Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@killyourfm @darth @monro Me too. Too many bad practices around digital stuff. They took the opportunity to let people have easy access to culture and entertainment and actively made it worse. When you see a digital game costing the same, or more than a physical copy, it makes no sense.
(DIR) Post #ASPBDUxNMM96orOTse by ericsfraga@fediscience.org
2023-02-05T16:04:17Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
@cnxI don't know what others do but, yes, that's what I do. I don't know how authors are paid for library ebooks so I wish to be as fair as possible to them. I borrow these books; I do not own them. @xarvos
(DIR) Post #ASPBDVVPJpMsWPJevQ by cnx@larkspur.one
2023-02-06T14:15:03.631831Z
0 likes, 0 repeats
Indeed you should keep doing what you believe to be right, @ericsfraga, but media publishers really make us do lots of mental gymnastics when it comes to funding writers/artists :ym_rofl: If at the same time two people read the same book borrowed from the library, would it hurt its writer financially? Is it different if the readers bought it from the store, or if it’s instead an audio book, a music album, a movie, or a video game?On the opposite side of the spectrum, we also have people streaming a song multiple times so the artists can get a few extra cents. Why do we sacrifice our convenience and resources to knee jerk to publishers instead of sending money directly to who we think deserving it? Can we even send our money to them? Damn the creative works market is so borken now that it’s impossible for copyright to work as intended (to facilitate and encourage more quality works for the public) without sending all profits to the middlepeople first.Cc: @xarvos
(DIR) Post #ASPJ3ZKl1v8J8G6gFc by ericsfraga@fediscience.org
2023-02-06T14:53:20Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@cnxTotally agree on all your points. The creative industries are being destroyed. As an aside, even though ebooks are only bits on a computer, libraries will have limited "copies" to lend so you have to wait until others have "returned" the book before you can borrow it. 🤪@xarvos
(DIR) Post #ASoVyyhRa3cSq6kTTM by Qbitzerre@unbound.social
2023-02-18T19:12:27Z
1 likes, 0 repeats
@ericsfraga @cnx @rafial @monro I've occasionally bought DRM stuff, with the expectation that I will discard it before too long. But In hindsight I'm sorry to have compromised my principles. This thread is a reminder to do better. No more,