The absolutely textbook definition of "irony"

[jaunthie]

Amazon auto-deletes "1984" and "Animal Farm" from Kindles.

Apparently the publisher decided they didn't want to have an e-book version of these titles available in the wild after all. So not only did Amazon pull the option to buy from their Web site, they used the "update" software for Kindles to auto-delete the e-books from Kindle users who had already purchased the titles. They credited the accounts of users from whom they took the books, but still...

The fact that these are Orwell books is just too ironic for words. And Amazon, I am sad to say, just committed an epic faux pas. Somebody should get fired over this.

Needless to say, I will not be joining the ranks of Kindle owners anytime soon. Which is a shame, because I really like the idea of an e-reader. However, I do *not* like the idea of an e-reader whose books (and my "ownership" of same) are subject to the whim of the monopoly that distributes them. And I simply won't invest in the technology until the concept of "library book" is fully supported.

Comments

[tylik.livejournal.com]

I love my tablet, and read a fair bit on it.

And I hope to have a similarly good experience with my touchbook when it arrives.

But I'm committed to open software, and increasingly open hardware as well. The Kindle just isn't going to make the cut. Maybe I'll eventually get a DRM'd device if there's a solid standard that doesn't rest with just a single company. Maybe.

[jaunthie.livejournal.com]

My previous laptop was a tablet (Toshiba M4), and I *loved* it. fisherbear had similar love for his Toshiba M2. Great machines. Unfortunately in the intervening years the tablet market in general seemed to get a) more expensive and b) less functional, so neither one of us is running a tablet at the moment. (What did you say you got?)

And yes, one of the joys of the tablet was reading on it. I'm frankly appalled at the DRM hardware/software war going on with music, video, and e-readers. I really hope a universal standard shakes out soon, but I'm not holding my breath.

[tylik.livejournal.com]

Lenovo x61t, with the SXGA+ screen. I'm just hoping someone bother
s to put out another tablet with a decent screen by the time I need an upgrade...

[monkeybard]

Amazon is all over the faux pas this year. Lots of people over there need firing, IMO.

[jaunthie.livejournal.com]

It's very distressing. I really have to wonder what's changed with them over the last 18 months.

[sunkrux.livejournal.com]

beyond lame.

[jaunthie.livejournal.com]

*nods*

[ceekayeff.livejournal.com]

Apparently, the entity that sold the rights for printing those books to Amazon did not have the authority to do so. Thus, Amazon was forced to delete them.