[GRLUG] e-Books rule at Amazon

[Ron Lauzon]

On Thu, May 19, 2011 at 3:18 PM, Don Ellis <don.ellis at gmail.com> wrote:
> I've loaded a Kindle reader on several desktop computers and on an
> iPad, but I've only been loading free content on it. As I understand
> it, though, if you load the Kindle software on a machine, you have a
> Kindle, from the vendor's point of view. It is Amazon official
> software. Would be pointless for them to push a desktop application
> then say you can't use it to buy their stuff.

My point is that if you choose to get a different eBook reader - like
a Cybook Opus, that does not support the proprietary Kindle format and
has no Kindle reader - then you cannot read your Amazon "purchased"
eBooks on it.

If (when?) Amazon decides to drop support for their proprietary format
(as they have done 3 times now), you will be unable to authorize any
new devices.  So it doesn't matter if you have a Kindle app for it.

And don't bother with the "they'll never do that".  They have done it
already and there's no promise that they won't do it again.

-- 
Ron Lauzon - rlauzon at acm dot org
   Homepage: http://7lauzon.home.comcast.net/
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