Posts Amazon pretends to be apple: DMCA
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Amazon pretends to be apple: DMCA

Amazon has taken a page from the Apple playbook and issued a DMCA take down request against a python file that reveals the ‘pid’ of the kindle. Basically, each kindle has a unique serial id. When you buy a DRM book, Amazon encrypts it against that id. So those books will only be viewable on your kindle. The python script in question reveals that ‘pid’ which can be used to make purchases in other stores. There is actually a second script that has to run to make a minor change to the resulting ebook file so that its viewable on the kindle. Amazon can’t do anything about that second script since it acts on content that isn’t on the kindle, nor is that content from Amazon. So instead, they go after the original script that exposes the ‘pid’. Keep in mind this is not circumventing the encryption… its using the same encryption… so it ‘doest not seem’ to be a DMCA thing… the end result is a book that only can be read on the kindle. No where else. Amazon is unhappy because the DRM is being used to get books other retailers to work on the kindle. (Interesting enough, because the benefactor is a retailer, Amazon could have legal win against retailers that push it, though Amazon will lose their image in the end.)

I’ve not tried this myself. I like my kindle and I like the Amazon store front for the kindle.  But I kinda figured this day would come;  Amazon is really pushing their store usage more then they are the Kindle as a product.  I’m sure the end result is no DRM books, but I just wonder how long it will take Amazon to get there. I’m pretty happy that I can use the Kindle for the free Gutenberg books as well…

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