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  3. Amazon is changing what is written in books

Amazon is changing what is written in books

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  • L [email protected]

    But lets see the Positive side: Now the Nazis wont have to burn thousands of books, saving tons of co2 in their Plan to take over the world with propaganda. So, yay for the envoirment I guess

    _wizard@lemmy.world_ This user is from outside of this forum
    _wizard@lemmy.world_ This user is from outside of this forum
    [email protected]
    wrote on last edited by
    #14

    1984 right here.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • L [email protected]

      I paid for (the license to view) the books already, so I’m getting epubs from z-library without the slightest bit of moral pain.

      I could do the calibre decryption thing, but meh.

      S This user is from outside of this forum
      S This user is from outside of this forum
      [email protected]
      wrote on last edited by
      #15

      Same boat man. 'OK I'll throw a few schmeckles in because the author does need the compensation, but i'm getting the actual book elsewhere.'

      flicker@lemmy.dbzer0.comF 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • L [email protected]

        But lets see the Positive side: Now the Nazis wont have to burn thousands of books, saving tons of co2 in their Plan to take over the world with propaganda. So, yay for the envoirment I guess

        J This user is from outside of this forum
        J This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote on last edited by
        #16

        If you're into audiobooks, I strongly recommend libro.fm instead - it's all DRM free downloads, so you never lose access.

        M L S N M 6 Replies Last reply
        0
        • penquin@lemm.eeP [email protected]

          There are other ways to buy books, I don't understand why so many people have a boner for Amazon. It feels like Stockholm syndrome to me. I've never bought a single book from Amazon, not one.

          A This user is from outside of this forum
          A This user is from outside of this forum
          [email protected]
          wrote on last edited by
          #17

          I’m constantly on the lookout for European alternatives. Are there any EU alternatives to Amazon?

          M penquin@lemm.eeP 2 Replies Last reply
          0
          • vk6flab@lemmy.radioV [email protected]

            A hosting provider always has the ability to change what's on their infrastructure. The Kindle store is no different.

            As it happens, they've been doing this for years. For example, the price you set as an author is not fixed nor is how it turns up on the page or how and when it's promoted.

            The standard ebook format is essentially a zipped up series of text files.

            Source: I sell my "Foundations of Amateur Radio" ebooks on the Kindle store

            C This user is from outside of this forum
            C This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote on last edited by
            #18

            Source: I sell my "Foundations of Amateur Radio" ebooks on the Kindle store

            And thank you for the reminder that I should go get a license before the entire system is so messed up that it wouldn't be possible.

            Well or it would be irrelevant because no one would care.

            Either way!

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • L [email protected]

              But lets see the Positive side: Now the Nazis wont have to burn thousands of books, saving tons of co2 in their Plan to take over the world with propaganda. So, yay for the envoirment I guess

              M This user is from outside of this forum
              M This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote on last edited by
              #19

              They got caught doing this over a decade ago as well.

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • M [email protected]

                It would be nice if that stuff worked more like git where yeah maybe the release version gets changed but you can always work back through the history to see earlier versions.

                Not git specifically but just deltas from one version to the next instead of replacing the whole thing with a flattened text.

                soytdi@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
                soytdi@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
                [email protected]
                wrote on last edited by
                #20

                Like wiki articles.

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • J [email protected]

                  If you're into audiobooks, I strongly recommend libro.fm instead - it's all DRM free downloads, so you never lose access.

                  M This user is from outside of this forum
                  M This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #21

                  Thank you for this! I made an account and may get the membership!

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • penquin@lemm.eeP [email protected]

                    There are other ways to buy books, I don't understand why so many people have a boner for Amazon. It feels like Stockholm syndrome to me. I've never bought a single book from Amazon, not one.

                    R This user is from outside of this forum
                    R This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #22

                    You can even buy books directly from publishers. Recently I wanted a hardback copy of a book and it was out of stock, backordered, or absurdly high priced on all the big popular online places. Ended up ordering it for MSRP from Penguin Random House direct.

                    penquin@lemm.eeP 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • penquin@lemm.eeP [email protected]

                      There are other ways to buy books, I don't understand why so many people have a boner for Amazon. It feels like Stockholm syndrome to me. I've never bought a single book from Amazon, not one.

                      G This user is from outside of this forum
                      G This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #23

                      You're thinking like a techy, put yourself in the layman's shoes.

                      The Kindle was a pretty big deal as the first widespread e-reader. My tech-challenged mom got one and she loves how easy it is to get a book and have it there.

                      Given that this change won't really affect her, she probably doesn't care. There's a lot more people like my mom than you or I.

                      penquin@lemm.eeP 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • penquin@lemm.eeP [email protected]

                        There are other ways to buy books, I don't understand why so many people have a boner for Amazon. It feels like Stockholm syndrome to me. I've never bought a single book from Amazon, not one.

                        S This user is from outside of this forum
                        S This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #24

                        The reality is that Amazon is the most convenient way to buy a lot of things, and as a result, people will put up with a lot of bullshit.

                        I genuinely try to buy things locally before I start looking online. It's increasingly difficult even for common items. The big box stores are shifting to branded only retailers. Where I used to be able to go to any hardware store and find a similar spread of items available, Lowe's, home Depot and Menards all offer their own lines of tools to varrying degrees. Menards is the worst about it, but they're all doing it.

                        Less common items are being phased out in stores, going to online order only. Where in the past you'd have your choice of just about any brand of thing you could think of in any store in any major town, now you're lucky to find certain things at all. And if I'm going to have to order it online anyway, Amazon has the best return policy.

                        Hobby or specialty items are easily marked up 300% locally. And you have to go to that specific store, which may require a fucking membership just to get an only marginally hyper inflated price. It's fine if it's one thing I need right now but I'm not going to pay for the privilege of shopping at a hobby shop. I'm at Costco every week and I'm salty about that membership. Jack Tanner's Leather Emporium isn't even getting my email address.

                        And frequently on Amazon it's not just the same thing, it's the exact same fucking product. Likely shipped to the hobby shop from Amazon. I get that these guys need to make a living, but bro, have a little respect for modern consumers. I'll pay a premium, I'm not signing up for anything and I'm not paying triple the price.

                        And even if you are resolved to buy online, and you try to go to the branded website to buy the specialty thing, Amazon has it, they have free shipping, and they'll get it to you tomorrow. But if you go to Rockler's website they're going to charge you 10-20 dollars to ship a single item, unless you spend more money, and it'll take two to three weeks to get to you.

                        I'm sorry, Amazon fucking won. Even if I say I'm willing to eat the cost, pay the shipping, pay a premium, and I'm willing to wait for the stuff I order, I'll even make an account at every shady ass website I want to order from and give all of them my payment information, regardless of how much I trust their security, because I know Amazon is a horrifically evil company, I'm a drop in the fucking bucket. So are you and anyone reading this.

                        It's just too fucking convenient. Too many competitors are cutting off the tail to try to keep up. They've won

                        engineergaming@feddit.nlE bilb@lem.monsterB penquin@lemm.eeP 3 Replies Last reply
                        0
                        • L [email protected]

                          But lets see the Positive side: Now the Nazis wont have to burn thousands of books, saving tons of co2 in their Plan to take over the world with propaganda. So, yay for the envoirment I guess

                          T This user is from outside of this forum
                          T This user is from outside of this forum
                          [email protected]
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #25

                          I've heard a jailbreak was recently released for all kindle models:
                          https://kindlemodding.org/jailbreaking/WinterBreak/

                          I'll be trying it out soon!

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • J [email protected]

                            If you're into audiobooks, I strongly recommend libro.fm instead - it's all DRM free downloads, so you never lose access.

                            L This user is from outside of this forum
                            L This user is from outside of this forum
                            [email protected]
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #26

                            Also downpour.com! I ditched Audible a long time back in favor of sites like these that don’t lock authors into crappy exclusives, provide DRM-free audiobooks for sale, and have actually decent deals with authors.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • J [email protected]

                              If you're into audiobooks, I strongly recommend libro.fm instead - it's all DRM free downloads, so you never lose access.

                              S This user is from outside of this forum
                              S This user is from outside of this forum
                              [email protected]
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #27

                              Anything similar for ebooks?

                              U 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • J [email protected]

                                If you're into audiobooks, I strongly recommend libro.fm instead - it's all DRM free downloads, so you never lose access.

                                N This user is from outside of this forum
                                N This user is from outside of this forum
                                [email protected]
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #28

                                At the very least back up your Audible library in a DRM free format with something like Libation.

                                I am still using Audible because their web player works in my restricted office, and the authors get a couple of pennies from dragon, but have my library safely exported to ensure continued access and prevent fuckery like this.

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • A [email protected]

                                  I’m constantly on the lookout for European alternatives. Are there any EU alternatives to Amazon?

                                  M This user is from outside of this forum
                                  M This user is from outside of this forum
                                  [email protected]
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #29

                                  Last time I looked (granted this was 7 or so years ago), it was pretty hard to find much, especially in English. Though German was worse, there were a few on-line retailers but because of (I’m guessing) copyright, they wouldn’t sell outside of Germany.

                                  I’d love to find a good alternative to Amazon…

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • penquin@lemm.eeP [email protected]

                                    There are other ways to buy books, I don't understand why so many people have a boner for Amazon. It feels like Stockholm syndrome to me. I've never bought a single book from Amazon, not one.

                                    L This user is from outside of this forum
                                    L This user is from outside of this forum
                                    [email protected]
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #30

                                    Kindle just works

                                    I can read a book in a series, finish it, buy the next one and it’s ready to read before I’ve gotten a new cup of tea.

                                    bilb@lem.monsterB penquin@lemm.eeP 2 Replies Last reply
                                    0
                                    • L [email protected]

                                      But lets see the Positive side: Now the Nazis wont have to burn thousands of books, saving tons of co2 in their Plan to take over the world with propaganda. So, yay for the envoirment I guess

                                      S This user is from outside of this forum
                                      S This user is from outside of this forum
                                      [email protected]
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #31

                                      It's kinda odd that all these years later, you're still better off pirating than paying for anything digital. All these services solved piracy but we've now gone full circle.

                                      finishingdutch@lemmy.worldF 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • S [email protected]

                                        The reality is that Amazon is the most convenient way to buy a lot of things, and as a result, people will put up with a lot of bullshit.

                                        I genuinely try to buy things locally before I start looking online. It's increasingly difficult even for common items. The big box stores are shifting to branded only retailers. Where I used to be able to go to any hardware store and find a similar spread of items available, Lowe's, home Depot and Menards all offer their own lines of tools to varrying degrees. Menards is the worst about it, but they're all doing it.

                                        Less common items are being phased out in stores, going to online order only. Where in the past you'd have your choice of just about any brand of thing you could think of in any store in any major town, now you're lucky to find certain things at all. And if I'm going to have to order it online anyway, Amazon has the best return policy.

                                        Hobby or specialty items are easily marked up 300% locally. And you have to go to that specific store, which may require a fucking membership just to get an only marginally hyper inflated price. It's fine if it's one thing I need right now but I'm not going to pay for the privilege of shopping at a hobby shop. I'm at Costco every week and I'm salty about that membership. Jack Tanner's Leather Emporium isn't even getting my email address.

                                        And frequently on Amazon it's not just the same thing, it's the exact same fucking product. Likely shipped to the hobby shop from Amazon. I get that these guys need to make a living, but bro, have a little respect for modern consumers. I'll pay a premium, I'm not signing up for anything and I'm not paying triple the price.

                                        And even if you are resolved to buy online, and you try to go to the branded website to buy the specialty thing, Amazon has it, they have free shipping, and they'll get it to you tomorrow. But if you go to Rockler's website they're going to charge you 10-20 dollars to ship a single item, unless you spend more money, and it'll take two to three weeks to get to you.

                                        I'm sorry, Amazon fucking won. Even if I say I'm willing to eat the cost, pay the shipping, pay a premium, and I'm willing to wait for the stuff I order, I'll even make an account at every shady ass website I want to order from and give all of them my payment information, regardless of how much I trust their security, because I know Amazon is a horrifically evil company, I'm a drop in the fucking bucket. So are you and anyone reading this.

                                        It's just too fucking convenient. Too many competitors are cutting off the tail to try to keep up. They've won

                                        engineergaming@feddit.nlE This user is from outside of this forum
                                        engineergaming@feddit.nlE This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #32

                                        I do order from online stores quite a bit, but at least I minimize what data they have on me. For example, even before I started caring about privacy, I just happened to always receive the goods in the store's physical office and pay in cash (the former - because delivery to your door cost extra, the latter - because I was and still am uncomfortable using a card, especially online). That actually excludes the biggest Amazon-like marketplaces (we don't have Amazon itself, but have several similar ones), since they require prepaying for the order.

                                        Recently I also started ordering without even interacting with the site - I just ask the cashier to order for me into this particular office, and decline when they ask for a phone number for the notification, saying I remember when to come and pick it up.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • J [email protected]

                                          If you're into audiobooks, I strongly recommend libro.fm instead - it's all DRM free downloads, so you never lose access.

                                          M This user is from outside of this forum
                                          M This user is from outside of this forum
                                          [email protected]
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #33

                                          And here’s a reminder that if you run a Plex server, there’s an app called Prologue which turns it into a fully fledged audiobook server.

                                          Plex doesn’t natively support things like audiobook bookmarks in m4b files, and tries to just play them straight through like a gigantic 4 hour long music track. But Prologue does support bookmark data. Prologue simply uses Plex’s service to access the files, (because admittedly, Plex is good for letting newbies remotely access their content) and then it ignores Plex’s built-in “lol just play it like music” instructions, and actually parses the files for bookmark data.

                                          As someone who couldn’t get Audiobookshelf to work properly, (something about not being able to access network drives via Docker), Prologue has saved my audiobook library by allowing me to just host it via Plex instead.

                                          vegancheesecake@lemmy.blahaj.zoneV 1 Reply Last reply
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