Z-Library is back, alas

[maddz]

Originally Posted by isarl

I was thinking of the same thing. More Gabe Newell on the topic:

“We think there is a fundamental misconception about piracy. Piracy is almost always a service problem and not a pricing problem. If a pirate offers a product anywhere in the world, 24 x 7, purchasable from the convenience of your personal computer, and the legal provider says the product is region-locked, will come to your country 3 months after the US release, and can only be purchased at a brick and mortar store, then the pirate’s service is more valuable.”

Exactly.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by isarl

I was thinking of the same thing. More Gabe Newell on the topic:

“We think there is a fundamental misconception about piracy. Piracy is almost always a service problem and not a pricing problem...”

That makes me think of Amazon’s attitude towards Kindle customers. It seems to be “How can we lock people in so that they can’t leave?” instead of “How can we improve things so that they don’t want to leave?”

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by jhowell

That makes me think of Amazon’s attitude towards Kindle customers. It seems to be “How can we lock people in so that they can’t leave?” instead of “How can we improve things so that they don’t want to leave?”

If that was their plan, it backfired for me -- it drove me away to Kobo, and I now try to buy my books (and physical items) from other stores.

Interestingly, I've found more good deals on Google Play books than Kobo, but have purchased some directly from Kobo as well.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by twowheels

If that was their plan, it backfired for me -- it drove me away to Kobo, and I now try to buy my books (and physical items) from other stores.

Yeah, I'm transitioning to buying from Kobo as well (though I still tend to use Amazon links when I list deals, as that is what I get in my emails).

If it is Amazon exclusive, I'll buy there. But once they kill that I'll just do without.

Interestingly, while I was on vacation I did mistakenly purchase a newly published book from Amazon. I had to return it and one of the reasons in the return drop-down was digital rights management. I wonder if they are using that to see what impact their new policy has?

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Yeah, I'm transitioning to buying from Kobo as well (though I still tend to use Amazon links when I list deals, as that is what I get in my emails).

If it is Amazon exclusive, I'll buy there. But once they kill that I'll just do without.

Interestingly, while I was on vacation I did mistakenly purchase a newly published book from Amazon. I had to return it and one of the reasons in the return drop-down was digital rights management. I wonder if they are using that to see what impact their new policy has?

Hmm... that is interesting.

[Quoth]

I bought a book from Kobo last week for first time now they have an Ireland section and euro prices. Less painful than Amazon's "go to Content & Devices", wait for book to appear, download load it. Also a shopping basket for bulk buying in one go instead of stupid click per book.

So searched for almost all Amazon Wish list on Kobo and added to Kobo list. Also I get to see the price I pay instead of UK Sterling. Irish Kindle owners can only buy on UK (£) or US ($) Marketplace, except it's a fake US Market place that only offers same titles as UK. It's awkward to swap too.

[ownedbycats]

There's also that meme about where if you buy a DVD of a movie, you put the disc in then have to go through dozen unskippable warnings, trailers for other movies, etc. With piracy, you download the movie and then play it.

[isarl]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

There's also that meme about where if you buy a DVD of a movie, you put the disc in then have to go through dozen unskippable warnings, trailers for other movies, etc. With piracy, you download the movie and then play it.

Too true. “Shame on you, you illegal downloader! You might have paid for our content this time, but we know you're irredeemable so we're punishing you upfront!”

[haertig]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I had to return it and one of the reasons in the return drop-down was digital rights management.

I have to return an air fryer I bought from Amazon. I'll look for this reason for return, and use it if available.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by haertig

I have to return an air fryer I bought from Amazon. I'll look for this reason for return, and use it if available.

You couldn't make french fries due to unbreakable DRM?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

You couldn't make french fries due to unbreakable DRM?

Those geo-restrictions are a nuisance.

[haertig]

Hey, we shouldn't laugh. Remember when Kuerig built DRM into their coffee makers so you could only use their coffee pods? It was easy enough to bypass for people that had an IQ above 17, but they did try to implement it!

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by jhowell

That makes me think of Amazon’s attitude towards Kindle customers. It seems to be “How can we lock people in so that they can’t leave?” instead of “How can we improve things so that they don’t want to leave?”

This exactly. I started with a Nook WiFi in 2011. I wanted touch screen and the ability to read library ebooks, so Kindle was a no go for me.

However, that reader required that you keep side-loaded books in one part of the reader, purchased in another. But I had legit side-loaded free books from a particular author's web site as well as many of her newer titles I'd purchased from B&N. But I had to navigate to a different spot to access them on the reader and it was annoying.

I felt like I was being forced to shelve some books in the living room and others in the bedroom, even if logic would dictate they all be shelved together! And within less than a year of owning the Nook, I had a Sony reader in my hands.

Even after the Sony purchase, I was supporting B&N by buying ebooks from them. Then, they stopped allowing me to download my purchases from their site. I stopped buying. They literally drove me away. I now buy from Kobo or Google Books and sometimes, Amazon.

Once I was unable to remove DRM, that was it. No further ebooks purchased from B&N. Not one. Not even a freebie.

[haertig]

This thread is getting off topic. We should move it back to discussing piracy as originally intended by the OP.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by haertig

This thread is getting off topic. We should move it back to discussing piracy as originally intended by the OP.

Ah. Thread drift is a fact of life at MobileRead and keeps us entertained. From the Guidelines, which you really should read:

2. Staying on Topic

Threads have a life of their own and may stray in all sorts of directions. However, if the original poster, or a moderator, requests that a thread stay on topic then please respect their wishes.

I haven’t seen either mod or OP request posts to stay on topic, your interpretation of the original intent notwithstanding.

Carry on.