Earlier quoted context omitted.
Last I heard Kindle isn't closed-source, they just don't make it particularly easy to build- which was never a requirement for GPL.
[deleted]
Kindle MatchBook
71–80 of 189 posts
Re: Kindle MatchBook
#72I should dislike Amazon for closed-source software on Kindle and for its DRM, but... well, they have really nice offers.
Last I heard Kindle isn't closed-source, they just don't make it particularly easy to build- which was never a requirement for GPL.
Read: http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/kindle-swindle-source-cod...
They publish the very minimum the need to publish according to GPL.
Re: Kindle MatchBook
#73It will be interesting to see if they also offer bundles at purchase time. "Buy the book for $12, or the book + ebook for $14."
Re: Kindle MatchBook
#74This is awesome for the consumer, absolutely. And it's only made possible by the recent DOJ trial that effectively allowed Amazon to set prices of ebooks (wholesale vs agency model). Recall that agency model, the publisher sets the price (the same as apps on the app store). But now that Amazon can set any price they want for ebooks (and take a loss on them if they want to, which they have done before), Amazon can do…
I think Charles Stross writings on ebooks is interesting and insightful. He should know: he's a tech-savvy best-selling author. (He hangs around here too: [1]) He wrote a couple of posts a year and a half ago, they still apply. In them, he explains how Amazon is making itself a monopoly, and that isn't good for anyone but them. What's been most informative to me is how tiny publishers actually are, and how little mon…
I buy my books hardcover now: more cash for the author.
(This doesn't make sense to do because there's too much friction. One way to deal with that would be to pick a random number between 0 and N and if you get 0 then send them N times that much money otherwise nothing.)
Re: Kindle MatchBook
#75Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think it's an interesting move, but not a "phenomenally important move". If I like print books but not ebooks, how does this affect me? It doesn't - not in the least. If I like both, I'm sort of happy - "Uh, I guess that's cool." I'm struggling to think of the person who needs both a printed copy of a book and an ebook version. The only person I can think of is someone with a textbook/learning book - you read the p…
> I'm struggling to think of the person who needs both a printed copy of a book and an ebook version. Technically, nobody NEEDS a printed or digital book to begin with. Maybe you're just over-thinking this? I like print books but also have an iPad. For many obvious reasons it would be nice to have all of my books on my iPad (which is almost always with me).
You can't grep dead trees.
Re: Kindle MatchBook
#76I should dislike Amazon for closed-source software on Kindle and for its DRM, but... well, they have really nice offers.
Whether to DRM a particular book is a decision of the publisher; some publishers allow Amazon to sell DRM-free ebooks.
Re: Kindle MatchBook
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I speculate publishers will hate this. It seems publishers have to opt in (e.g., see comment by keltex below). (I suppose they could still hate the pressure to allow it?) Also, it seems they could make additional money with zero marginal costs.
There are probably a number of complicated contractual issues to work out with authors even if a publisher is inclined to participate. It's no one's position here that publishers should just choose without consulting the authors, right?
It seems authors too need to opt in (again from keltex's comment).
Re: Kindle MatchBook
#78I came away from this confused thinking some Kindle versions of books were now cheaper. Amazon is horrible at explaining what things are supposed to do. Every product landing page I've seen from them is confusing, especially all of their cloud services.
The explanation that matters is the one offered to people when they're considering the ebook purchase. I bet Amazon will get that one right.
Re: Kindle MatchBook
#79This is a phenomenally important move; now, being an "ebook reader" or a "traditional reader" doesn't have to be an either/or proposition.
I think it's an interesting move, but not a "phenomenally important move". If I like print books but not ebooks, how does this affect me? It doesn't - not in the least. If I like both, I'm sort of happy - "Uh, I guess that's cool." I'm struggling to think of the person who needs both a printed copy of a book and an ebook version. The only person I can think of is someone with a textbook/learning book - you read the p…
> I'm struggling to think of the person who needs both a printed copy of a book and an ebook version.
Think no further. Because it's me. I've explicitly held off from buying a Kindle because it meant having to always choose between print and ebook.
Sometimes I want to curl up with a book. Sometimes I want the convenience of an ebook. And I never want to have to make the choice about what kind of material gets relegated to one or the other experience.
I like the way books look, feel, smell and sound. I also like the option of always having accessible my entire collection digitally.
Now it looks like my problem is (partially) solved - at least sufficiently enough that I'm now going to buy a Kindle.
Re: Kindle MatchBook
#80Earlier quoted context omitted.
[deleted]
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=2...
Sorry for deleting my parent comment.
See this though, it's only the very minumum they have to publish due to GPL (sort of like Apple and Darwin)
http://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/kindle-swindle-source-cod...