A reporter for the Associated Press has addressed the issue of standardized format EPUB, renowned open. Faced with the format 100% claimed as the owner of Kindle, EPUB accounts for the generally adopted by all players in the digital book solution. At a problem near All companies are appropriate, into a proprietary format
ActuaLitté, CC BY SA 2.0
The head of Amazon France, Romain Voog, had confessed to him despite ActuaLitté: the Kindle is a gilded prison, and success society stems. Recovering the MOBI format and pasting it a technology layer to turn it into KINDLE size, Amazon has created a completely closed ecosystem. Ebooks purchased from its ebookstore and can only be read with the Kindle devices, ebook readers, tablets or applications.
“ It is important to control the playback format, because it is very associated with the experience you are able to give to your customer. The format allows the development of specific applications, text enrichment, dictionaries. I think the service X-Ray [ Ed that provides additional data to the book] to highlight, sharing: there is a real technical advantage to be able to control its size. Because that is what makes innovation ‘,’ he stated.
And now the AP reporter attempts to examine what it means well open format that can be read logically with all devices other than the Kindle. In other words, without the list being exhaustive, Bookeen, Kobo, Nook, iBooks, etc. Causing the interrogation of journalist from a mention in the help section of Kobo. It says that to transfer ebooks bought on the platform, and read it with another device, you have to use Adobe Digital Edition. Splendide.
Our reporter then launched into the great crossing: download software Adobe, create an account, integrate Adobe ID – but with all the constraints that can wait. Simply because, for different ebookstores, the files are changed, and ebook readers can not handle files, despite binding manipulations.
Welcome to a world of locks
Of course, all this has a name: Digital Right Management, and Measurement Protection techniques. This tool, available for now only by the Adobe company gives the publisher the ability to limit the number of devices which transfer the ebook, prevent pirate copying, prevent printing of the document, etc. In sum, the DRM is a lock for constraining the user.
Logically, the reporter then concludes that ultimately, “ built the walls of Amazon with the Kindle is not so bad after all. Although Kindle books do not work on other ereaders, Amazon Kindle offers applications for just about all other devices, including the Nook Tablet from Samsung and Apple’s iPad . ”
This brings us to wonder why annoy with a device supporting the open format, so everything is so simple with Kindle. This is also the key to the success of Amazon simplicity, in a fully mastered reading environment. To the editor, it is also double punishment: since readers tired of the open-file is readable with a multiplication manipulations to operate, why not go to the most convenient? So Kindle …
What then strengthen the stranglehold of Amazon and consolidate a growing monopoly that benefits grinning problems with Adobe locks and can not but dissatisfied with open arms, swearing the interoperability of its model. And for good reason: there is necessarily an application to find his readings occur on all types of devices.
We had already asked this question, at the height of the conflict between Hachette Book Group and the firm of Jeff Bezos:
We must not believe that the behavior of Amazon, for logic whether in trade discussions, can be quite trivial. Because in the digital book market, its position is still special – some, and we also wrote, say monopolistic. Simply because the firm of Jeff Bezos was able to show through various merchandising, and tax optimization solutions, more attractive than other booksellers. As it is, therefore, customers encouraged to go to other booksellers will only provide it … paper books.
Amazon indeed resembles Google: the search engine is known for its indecipherable algorithm, referencing and dereferencing them at will websites, according to criteria relatives of arbitrariness. And this domination gives it an almost exclusive position in the online advertising sales, eclipsing number of competitors, the multitude of platforms that may have found the Ad-sense. Google owns its algorithm, and Amazon owns its Kindle format, all this is not very good for net neutrality. Or worse: if there are other search engines, the owners of a Kindle can never supplies elsewhere than Amazon …
The paradox is, moreover, not least in Article L. 131-9 of the Intellectual Property Code states that “ the contract mentions the possibility for the producer to use technological measures “. And as we said a specialist in intellectual property, “ can not prevent a publisher to affix technical protection measures because it has the right for him “. Ah, yes, France …
But it is difficult to point this from a reader who, by buying an ebook reader, especially wanted to find the same effectiveness with a paper book. But in fact, the combination of marketing techniques, tax optimization solutions, a formidable marketing and service that is gaining ground as the most effective … is not it and a society is necessary, and imposes its product as the best answer to the public?
The conclusion is scary: after all, in persisting in DRM, the Book industry does not she sends a strong message to the readers? A message that could be summed up: “ In fact, become Amazon customers, it is more convenient . “
And no, this post was not purchased by Amazon …
To further
To harmonize copyright in Europe: the excellent report by Julia Reda
French law requires publishers to sell an ebook without DRM
German booksellers ask publishers to do without DRM
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