Comments on: Amazon recalls (and embodies) Orwell's '1984'

In a widely criticized move, the retailer has reportedly taken back copies of two electronic books after the publisher decided it no longer wanted to sell the e-books.

[duerra]

The irony of this is almost too thick to cut through. This is absolutely unacceptable, and Amazon must recant this position. Once books are legitimately purchased, it is decidedly wrong and completely unethical to even have the power to perform an action such as this. This cannot be tolerated.

Please flood the Kindle product page with negative reviews so that prospective buyers can be aware of this jaw dropping breach of trust and display of power:
http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Amazons-Wireless-Reading-Generation/dp/B00154JDAI/

While I have long taken a stance against DRM, this is horrifying and cannot and should not be tolerated by anybody, out of principle if nothing else. I sincerely hope this results in a class-action lawsuit.

[robbyr2]

The problem is that Amazon (inadvertently) sold you stolen merchandise. Ordinarily when you buy stolen merchandise in good faith, the police just drop in and take the product away. This was not handled well by Amazon and they've said so. That being said, they could have sent a message saying delete this within 24 hours or we'll do it for you. They could also have said, sorry, no refund.

If Microsoft can disable Windows if you change your CPU, what makes you think they couldn't delete some or all of it, even without Update?

[omnichad]

as robbyr2 says, it would ordinarily be confiscated if physical. In this case, it isn't physical theft - it is copyright infringement. A whole different set of laws apply, but it really puts Amazon or the publisher at fault regardless of if they try to undo it.

[BuckyHarris]

This is funny and scary at the same time. I'm chuckling over the image of Amazon sneaking into my home in the dead of night & stealing books off my shelves. Meanwhile, I've never been able to fathom why anybody would want to buy one of those Kindles. Poor resolution, small screens, no pictures, big price.

What can a Kindle do that an inexpenisve laptop can't? You can download many, many texts for free in HTML or PDF format (very much including 1984!) and maintain them on your hard drive or backup disk or wherever, and then read them at your leisure. True, you can't do this with recently published books, but if I'm going to pay for an electronic edition, I'm definitely going to make sure that I *own* my copy free & clear. Otherwise it's like paying for a library book on a yo-yo string.

[omnichad]

Double the screen resolution for the size (if not more). It's sharp and clear, and your eyes don't tire as easily. Free Wikipedia access from anywhere you get cell reception. The ability to buy books from anywhere too.

Now I'm not going to get anything like this until I can make backups, and upload at least PDF files for viewing. But that doesn't mean it's a useless product.

[gtr72]

Get a Sony eBook Reader instead...much freer and more open: with the type of control Amazon has displayed in this case, it makes one wonder. Odd, too, because Sony has often been way too harsh with its proprietary formats, often to its detriment (Beta, UMD, MemoryStick, etc.) But their eBook Reader is great and reads many non-locked formats. I'm surprised by all the buzz about Kindle, and so little coverage of the Sony product, when the eBook Reader from Sony is so great.

[gggg sssss]

Sony has been known to violate its purchasers as well - remeber the rootkit. Stay away from anything Sony

[SoCalBruce]

This whole kindle thing, I never understood it. What do people have against actual books? What happened to us, does no one enjoy acquiring and reading books anymore? Handling them, turning the pages? Keeping favorite ones on your shelves? What do all these self absorbed, "Progressive" Blackberry toting infants do for reference works? I just cant see why people are so in a rush to give up BOOKS for something "digital" "Oh, you can carry it with you anywhere." Uh, same with a book. Plus books don't need batteries, don't have DRM, and once you buy it it's YOURS until you give it to someone, sell it, or throw it away. And why would you buy books like 1984, or Sister Carrie, or The Jungle, or any of those for KINDLE? You can get them free, if you are so bent on digital form, at project gutenburg. Me, I love books. I don't care what the "progressive" people say, I'm not giving them up.

[Kermode]

Potentially its more useful - you can adust the letter size! You can search for lines, and you can make digital bookmarks which doesn't scar the page. As with all things, eventually your addiction will be out evolved by others who are not interested. Come one already calculated it would be cheaper for the New York Times to buy all its subscribers a kindle and stop printing the paper and only publish it electronically. And as long as we have a capitalist system, money is where its at.

[robbyr2]

1. I already have over 2000 books. I don't have enough room to store any more of them... but yes, I love them.

2. Since I read 500 words per minute just for fun, a week's vacation may mean four or five books. And that means paying the airlines for more luggage. Or a strained back!

3. I don't have to worry about breaking the back on the book and can enjoy reading while I'm eating out by myself.

4. There are so many good, cheap or free books available for my Kindle. Just read Treasure Island and Magic Kingdom-For Sale! again at a cost of $0.00. I may get a few cents for the paper copies AND I got some shelfspace back.

5. Fewer UPS and USPS deliveries to my house means a smaller carbon footprint.

I don't own a Blackberry. Don't need one.

If I buy a stolen book at Barnes and Noble, the police might just come take it away. I should be given the opportunity if the stolen book is digital to delete it and then see it go away if I choose not to do it myself. And enjoy my refund!

[gomer43]

@BuckyHarris: ever actually use a Kindle or eReader? It's vastly different than using your computer to read. No eye-straining backlight, it's smaller, and it reads like a book.

@gtr72: the eReader from Sony doesn't have access to the library of books the Kindle has, nor does it have many of the other features (magazine/newspaper subscription) that the Amazon Kindle store has. Sure, if I'm only interested in reading obscure books or really old ones, I'm sure the Sony device would suit my needs, but I enjoy the Kindle's ability to buy books wherever, and not be so limited to books of obscurity.

Of course, Amazon's actions today are indefensible, but that doesn't mean Sony's device is actually better.

[berg0011]

ebookstore.sony.com

[sh86894]

Just checked calendar. Nope. Not April 1st. Hmmmm ... Calendar must be wrong.

Sure, you have greed and stupidity, but to combine that with stifling a "first sale" purchaser's right to read ... wait for it ... Orwell's 1984. Okay, come on. What's the punchline?

[Jonathan]

I'll be blunt. If I could return my Kindle 2 that I got a couple months ago I would right NOW. At this point I'm going to finish up the books I'm reading and throw this thing on a shelf. This pisses me off to no end. I don't give a flying crap what the hell is in their EULA. Name me a time in history any publisher could go and start recalling the books that people purchased. F you Amazon and F you to the publishing industry. At this point I'm going to actively pirate the books I purchased because god knows who will be next to pull one I purchased from Amazon....refund or no refund I don't give a dang.

[mkgmkg3]

Too much coffee? Piracy because of a stupid mistake and an even stupider maneuver by a bookseller? You really need to get a grip and think your way through what you are saying to the world about yourself.

[codynews]

oh come on... This had to happen with the book 1984 of all books? Are they TRYING to be ironic? This has to be a hoax.

Cody

[GenX2.0]

This actually happened to me. I can't believe that they can do this. It totally undermines their service. What other books can they take back after I legally purchased it. I want a class action lawsuit, so they never do this again. This is complete BS!!!

[robbyr2]

You can't legally purchase what isn't Amazon's to sell.

[zechristof]

The analogy with someone sneaking into your bedroom, removing a book you bought from them from your nightstand, and leaving you a refund check, is an accurate one. Amazon, stay out of my library. And keep your stinkin' Kindle.

[R. U. Sirius]

Isn't it sweet knowing Amazon is monitoring what you read, when you read it, and where you read it, all 24x7 and reporting it back to the publishers, who then decide whether or not you will be allowed to keep what you PAID for?

The Kindle is the new spyware. Pass it on.

[DanRobinson]

Charge 'em for the lice, extra for the mice
Two percent for looking in the mirror twice
Here a little slice, there a little cut
Three percent for sleeping with the window shut
When it comes to fixing prices
There are a lot of tricks he knows
How it all increases, all them bits and pieces
Jesus! It's amazing how it grows!

Thenardier in Les Miserables

[joepmd]

How is this story different than other DRM content. I bought movies off of iTunes. Do I "own them"? What about games I downloaded on my XBOX 360? What happens when the studios and their RIAA nazis decide that they want my copy of pixar movies back becuase Disney liks to pull titles after a few years to generate future demands. The word "Buy" seems to be filled with irony. Maybe they should just say "Lease". That seems more appropriate.

[R. U. Sirius]

You don't see the difference? Are you an Amazon shill?

It's totally different because neither Apple or Microsoft are stooping to spyware tactics by reaching inside your computer and removing files.

[gggg sssss]

@ R. U. Sirius not yet anyway although Windows Genuine Advantage which reports back on what software is on your computer, both MS and others, comes close. And I understand Apple has widthdrawn some IPhone apps, and thus disabled them even after they were purchased, downloaded and installed.

[jtaylor475]

As someone before suggested--these works should be in the public domain - aren't they available for free as e-books yet?

[SkydiveGuy]

Oddly enough, I own both of these kindle books and received an email stating I was receiving "my refund" with no reason why. Even after I contacted Amazon, the only reason they gave was "there was a problem with the book".
I luckily leave the wireless turned off and was able to back up (ALL) the books on my Kindle to my PC.
Even more strange, once the Kindle wireless was turned on... 1984 is still on my Kindle.

I am more shocked than pissed that this happened. There needs to be some sort of class action lawsuit against Amazon, not for money, but more for the principle of their actions.
Once I buy something, I OWN IT. Just because you refund me, doesn't mean it is okay.

This makes me want to stop buying eBooks.

[Jack K1]

"Once I buy something, I OWN IT."

Good luck with that. If you buy stolen goods, knowingly or not, you LOSE. But I'm always curious to hear how the police respond to the clueless. Let us know if you should ever have the opportunity to try it out.

[skellener]

This wasn't "stolen goods". These were legal purchases Jack K1.

[SkydiveGuy]

If I go into WalMart and buy something, I OWN IT. If WalMart bought this from a vendor that stole it, that it not my problem, it is WalMarts problem. WalMart then has to remove the items from the shelf. Any that were purchased by a customer are GONE. Write them off.

I am more pissed about how Amazon NEVER TOLD ME WHAT WAS GOING ON AND JUST DELETED THE BOOK.

If they had sent a notice out to people saying what happened and perhaps asked me to voluntarily return it, I would have.

The point here is not about stolen goods, it is the right of the seller to forcibly take back items that they sold.

I should have been able to keep the copy I own, until I delete it myself from the device, but Amazon should have removed it from my backups on their server.

Actually the email told me how to delete it manually if I was not in range of Wispernet service, so as long as the radio is off... their hands are tied.

[jezzali]

Richard Stallman warned you all, but you called him a loon. What say you now ?

[Kermode]

All hail Stallman! ;)

[SkydiveGuy]

Actually.... the only thing funnier that could have happened is if it happened to Fahrenheit 451.

[gggg sssss]

well then they would have to reach into your device and disable it No, wait, Apple doesthat with OS changes that disable modded, hacked, jailbroken devices.

[Peter N. Glaskowsky]

Oh, for heaven's sake. From stories posted on other sites, it appears the books in question had been published illegally-- and not by the publisher with US rights for these in-copyright books.

The listing for the illegal copy is still present on Amazon, though it can no longer be purchased:

http://www.amazon.com/Nineteen-eighty-four/dp/B002H5GTLU

When Amazon discovered these unauthorized sales, it did the right thing: it reversed them.

The police would do the same thing if they discovered a stolen car in your driveway: just take it away. You never owned it.

Amazon was stupid not to explain the situation. It should have explained its ability to remotely delete inappropriately distributed books long ago, and it should have explained what and why it was doing in the present case.

But this isn't an argument against e-book readers in general or the Kindle or DRM technology in particular. (This had nothing to do with DRM).

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[Kermode]

Not for heavens sake - they did wrong - regardless of legality. If they sold them illegally they should pay the fine, but not delete peoples items like that. It will hurt them.

[gggg sssss]

OJ found out that you are not supposed to barge into a hotel room and take your stolen stuff back. How is Amazon's actions different from OJ's? Will Bezos share a bunk with OJ as a result?

[SkydiveGuy]

@ gggg ssss LOL! What a GREAT analogy!

[play7]

"by Jonathan July 17, 2009 4:33 PM PDT
BS it isn't DRM. If it wasn't DRM I could copy the book off my Kindle via USB and then turn off Whispernet and copy it back. I then would have it whenever I want. However you try that and the book will fail to open. This is as much about DRM as it is about horse**** publishers being Ahats."

Maybe that why they doing this because people are stealing.........Always two wrong make a right a?

shakeshead never even read a book have you?

[Understarsidream]

This is one more reason (of many) to not get a kindle or trust DRM.