Few days ago I got an email from Amazon saying "I see that you attempted to purchase "The Early History of Rome (Penguin Classics eBook) (Bks. 1-5)" while in a different country than the United States listed on your Amazon account." The email also requested a proof of residence to the US to let me purchase the said book.
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, Amazon?!
That's Livy. TITUS FUCKING LIVIUS, Jupiter damn it!
He lived 2000 year ago, died 1994 years ago to be exact. Don't tell me that some mythical "copyright restrictions" prevent you from selling me this book, all right? Copyright even hasn't been invented back then. Nobody can claim copyright on Livy's works. Get a clue, Amazon.
Moreover I think this whole idea about "this book is not available in [some market] due to copyright restrictions" is just dumb, dumb, dumb. You're dealing electronic goods on the Internet, the global network. There's no "US market" or "European market" or any other geographically restricted market here. It's global, yes it is. My dollars are as green as the next guy's. Get a clue, Amazon.
Yes, I can jump through all these hoops. I can lie in my profile and pretend that I have an US address. I can use a VPN connection to the US to buy the books, but ... You know what, Amazon? The reason for Kindle to exist is not the e-ink display, not the amount of flash memory on the device, not even lightweight sleek design. The raison d'être for Kindle is ability to buy books easily. If I want to read something I should be able to get it with just one click. And you deny me exactly it. Get a clue, Amazon.
I think I'll just go back to pirating books. Yes, it is time consuming. Yes, I have to mess with weird formats and DRM cracking software. Yes, some books are hard to find on pirate sites. But it's not much worse than the artificial roadblocks you put in my way, and it's much, much cheaper. I don't mind paying for books, but I don't want to beg you to kindly accept my money. Screw you, Amazon.
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, Amazon?!
That's Livy. TITUS FUCKING LIVIUS, Jupiter damn it!
He lived 2000 year ago, died 1994 years ago to be exact. Don't tell me that some mythical "copyright restrictions" prevent you from selling me this book, all right? Copyright even hasn't been invented back then. Nobody can claim copyright on Livy's works. Get a clue, Amazon.
Moreover I think this whole idea about "this book is not available in [some market] due to copyright restrictions" is just dumb, dumb, dumb. You're dealing electronic goods on the Internet, the global network. There's no "US market" or "European market" or any other geographically restricted market here. It's global, yes it is. My dollars are as green as the next guy's. Get a clue, Amazon.
Yes, I can jump through all these hoops. I can lie in my profile and pretend that I have an US address. I can use a VPN connection to the US to buy the books, but ... You know what, Amazon? The reason for Kindle to exist is not the e-ink display, not the amount of flash memory on the device, not even lightweight sleek design. The raison d'être for Kindle is ability to buy books easily. If I want to read something I should be able to get it with just one click. And you deny me exactly it. Get a clue, Amazon.
I think I'll just go back to pirating books. Yes, it is time consuming. Yes, I have to mess with weird formats and DRM cracking software. Yes, some books are hard to find on pirate sites. But it's not much worse than the artificial roadblocks you put in my way, and it's much, much cheaper. I don't mind paying for books, but I don't want to beg you to kindly accept my money. Screw you, Amazon.
