Kindle DRM Sucks

I'm working hard on an important project: coordinating a network of team mates from around the world, and have bought a few books I thought likely to assist in some of the challenges.  One of these challenges is our need for intelligently selecting appropriate management techniques to attack some of the problems.  An expert on the team suggested using assessment tools from Reinventing Project Management: The Diamond Approach to Successful Growth & Innovation by Dov Dvir (Kindle Edition - Aug 14, 2007).

After purchasing and studying the book, I wanted to copy some passages for discussion with members of the team.  Kindle for PC disables your ability to do this.  I wanted to discuss this (zoomed) graph as well:
Notice the blurring?  This is because Kindle translation of the original source (presumably PDFs) is buggy.   Even if I wanted to zoom the original view to overcome the minute, blurry letters on the graph, there is no zoom function on either the portable Kindle or Kindle for PC.

Did I mention that the Amazon's DRM (digital rights management) also prevented me from opening the book on my Kindle?  It gave me a message that the book was registered to another user.  Apparently, I had not used the exact procedure they DEMAND purchasers use for organizing and copying books their customers are supposed to OWN.

Instead of infuriating people with inevitably shortsighted, totalitarian attempts at controlling content,  if corporations put 1% of that effort into creating easy ways for people to make voluntary micro-payments with fair splits to people based on their sacrifice and effort, not only might they make more money, they'd have people working for free to improve their content processing, distribution, and payment systems.  They'd have incredible brand loyalty and broader markets.  I realize that contrary to legal fiction: corporations are not real people and therefore can't appreciate that the world would also be a better, happier place with such openness.  Unfortunately, more freedom, joy, and fulfillment in life don't help financial profit margins - the only kind with which dominant interests are concerned.

Since it isn't and because now (incredibly) Amazon has succeeded in pissing me off so badly - I've followed this advice to strip DRM blocks and restrictions from what I consider using MY (bought & paid for) property, which I believe I'm entitled to use my property as I see fit, absent harming others of course, and without the prior approval of anyone.

Comments

This is exactly the reason I've never bought an e-book, don't buy audio from Audible and don't buy music from i-Tunes. If I can't read/listen to my purchases where ever I want, I haven't really purchased anything.

I've found the DRM stripping for i-Tunes, so I know that's possible. Never have found a process for stripping the DRM from Audible content. I agree with you on that subject as well. Don't want to violate my contracts with these companies but if I've purchased material...
...also. I'm rather surprised to find that Amazon is so backward with book DRM. I go to them for music downloads all the time. They're virtually the only company I've found that offers MP3 downloads. Hard to beat that. Have you checked out http://www.defectivebydesign.org/?
BurntSynapse said…
Hi Anthony,
I stripped Audible DRM years ago so I could make CD's or play them on obscure technology as mp3 - now I don't have the time for many audiobooks. I'm sure there are ways.

I really believe in free markets, and the idea that corporations having right to restrict freedoms is actually market freedom really blows my mind. No wonder Amazon was removing 1984 from people's Kindles.

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