Amazon Swindle

[Thom]

Just FYI for those not aware, on Feb 26, Amazon will be removing the Download Option on their Kindle. This option allows you to download the ebook you have bought onto your personal computer. Without it, they can adjust content of a book you have already bought or, as has happened in the past, delete the book entirely from your Library. Have fun getting a refund...

If you haven't already, I'd suggest downloading your favorites now. Personally, I've started moving back to physical media (paper books) just for the joy of them, but being abkle to keep what I have purchased is a nice bonus.

A good saying I came across on youtube is, "If Purchasing is not Owning, then Piracy is not Stealing."

 

[pengbuzz]

17 hours ago, Thom said:

Just FYI for those not aware, on Feb 26, Amazon will be removing the Download Option on their Kindle. This option allows you to download the ebook you have bought onto your personal computer. Without it, they can adjust content of a book you have already bought or, as has happened in the past, delete the book entirely from your Library. Have fun getting a refund...

If you haven't already, I'd suggest downloading your favorites now. Personally, I've started moving back to physical media (paper books) just for the joy of them, but being abkle to keep what I have purchased is a nice bonus.

A good saying I came across on youtube is, "If Purchasing is not Owning, then Piracy is not Stealing."

 

This is why I insist on physical media (books, cd and cassette). If I pay for it, it's mine.

[Thom]

4 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

This is why I insist on physical media (books, cd and cassette). If I pay for it, it's mine.

Ever too true! The only thing people really own is phsyical.

[Big s]

I’ll be honest, I stopped reading books a while ago. I figure if it’s a good book, there will be a movie and I don’t want to be that guy that always says the book was better. 
 

Die Hard was a better movie than a book though and I’ll take that win, Even if it’s the only one

[mikeszekely]

Can't say I've ever bought an ebook from Amazon.  I do, however, have something just short of 20GB of unencrypted epub files on my hard drive.  Somewhere along the line I started using Google Play Books to sync books I uploaded myself between my phone and a small tablet I use in lieu of a Kindle.

 

[Mommar]

On 2/22/2025 at 11:03 AM, Thom said:

Just FYI for those not aware, on Feb 26, Amazon will be removing the Download Option on their Kindle. This option allows you to download the ebook you have bought onto your personal computer. Without it, they can adjust content of a book you have already bought or, as has happened in the past, delete the book entirely from your Library. Have fun getting a refund...

If you haven't already, I'd suggest downloading your favorites now. Personally, I've started moving back to physical media (paper books) just for the joy of them, but being abkle to keep what I have purchased is a nice bonus.

A good saying I came across on youtube is, "If Purchasing is not Owning, then Piracy is not Stealing."

 

I remember when I was still in college in 2002 and I was told I was crazy when I had precisely these concerns way back when it was just Steam first offering all digital purchases...

[azrael]

This has been happening with video for a while. This is why many want the blu-ray discs. 'Surprised it took this long to hit books. Guess y'all better spend the money to buy the physical book.

[Hikuro]

I'll always prefer physical media. When Amazon took over the comicbook app I used all the time, I had and still have frequent issues getting them downloaded and they changed the app around making it for me very difficult to read my comics that I spent lots of money on. 
And not long ago I had an issue where I lost my digital copy of Terminator Dark Fate which pissed me off. 

[Knight26]

Well if you want to support you local MW Sci-Fi author....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3QXB67D

Just going to leave that here.

All available in kindle or print (and can be signed if you are ever in Tucson, AZ).

[Thom]

I have bought a lot of ebooks but very seldom their paper copies (when available.) I think from now on I'll use Amazon for the preview and buy the paperback (when available) or hunt for the e-title elsewhere. They want to eff around? Okay.

[Mog]

There should be a website that specializes in selling books. [/sarcasm]

[F-ZeroOne]

Just as heads up, you can't download your books if your Kindle was bought in 2024 or late apparently. 😬

I love physical books but sadly don't have the space for a librarys worth, so the Kindle has been a matter of practicality for me. Its not a great move on their part.

[Thom]

The thing is, we (I) can get so reliant on one service that I stop shopping around at other places. There's an ebook I bought just a short while ago on Amazon and looking around, I found and downloaded the epub for free. Not that I'm going to do that a lot, I'd rather pay for a book and give the author their due, but a free version of a book I've already bought? Okay.

I should also shop around at Barnes and Noble as well, though I do stop in their local store every week. 

[Knight26]

One of the things to consider is this, many indie authors (raises hand) who publish through KDP are locked into that and cannot sell through other venues for a set period (can't recall at the moment), and if you want into Kindle Unlimited then it is even longer.  So, if you can, please support indie authors, reviews, spreading the word, etc... helps them (us) a lot.  ANd with nonsense like this going on they need the support even more.  Also, many, if their books get pulled will send you the epub for free, if you can prove you bought it. 
On top of that indie books often disappear for other reasons, I had to pull previous versions of my books when I changed publishers, so sometimes that might be what is happening. 
Also, revised versions of e-books are not that uncommon, with the revision getting pushed after you download/puchase it, and it that way you benefit because you do not have to purchase a new revision.

[Big s]

2 hours ago, Thom said:

I should also shop around at Barnes and Noble as well, though I do stop in their local store every week. 

I kinda thought those all disappeared. I haven’t seen on in a long time 

[JB0]

34 minutes ago, Big s said:

I kinda thought those all disappeared. I haven’t seen on in a long time 

They're still around, and if you use a non-Nook e-reader they don't want your business.