Jeff Bezos apologizes for 1984-Kindle debacle

[zacharypinter]

Actually, I think Amazon did the anti-DRM crowd (myself included) a favor by this whole debacle.

They gave a very public example of the problems with locked/controlled content and how it tends to directly oppose the consumer.

When you make a purchase for the Kindle, you're not buying a book, you're buying the right to view the content of the book in a limited context.

[andreyf]

When you make a purchase for the Kindle, you're not buying a book, you're buying the right to view the content of the book in a limited context.

Actually, that's what you do when you purchase any copyrighted work. Copyright law prohibits you from doing a wide variety of things with some things you buy - copying and creating derivative works being the big ones.

[dfranke]

s/right/revocable privilege/

[dfranke]

This apology doesn't fly for me. The issue is not with their use of discretion in yanking paid-for content off users' devices. The issue is that they gave themselves that ability to begin with. Once I see that "feature" removed, I'll be happy.

[frossie]

I actually think it is a textbook apology - short, no excuses and straight to the customers. I think having a quick apology is more important than presenting some kind of ten point plan as the first step.

But I agree that the end of the matter is the solution, not the apology, and we have yet to see how this ends.

[seasoup]

They are apologizing for using the capability the gave themselves but are doing nothing towards a real solution. They still have the ability to remotely wipe your books. I'm glad I never bought a kindle and will not buy one as long as it "licenses" me the books instead of selling them to me.

[mrlebowski]

I totally agree. I wonder what other unadvertised "features" the kindle has, which are transmitted secretly by the always on wi-fi.

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!

[hyperbovine]

I had no idea Jeff Bezos had a real Amazon account which he used to post reviews (guess that shouldn't come as such a surprise.)

Always entertaining to hear a man worth $8 billion call something expensive. :)

http://www.amazon.com/review/R11KACPP85PGCA/ref=cm_cr_rdp_pe...

[mvg]

Although he's a billionaire, I doubt his sense of value has changed. Especially since he is so close to retail.

[pmichaud]

It rings a little empty to me -- I mean, it's one thing to say you screwed up, but it's another to make it right. Has there been any actual action taken or is it really just: "Sorry, we shouldn't have done that... but we're not sorry enough to undo it."

[ScottWhigham]

My understanding is that the publisher said that Amazon didn't have the right to sell it. Amazon refunded all folks who bought it.

What more could Amazon do in this situation to appease you?

[potatolicious]

Undo what? Give people back their illegal files?

[aaroniba]

Conspicuously absent from this apology is the explicit promise that they won't do it again.

[ube]

Perhaps a little of Zappos' culture is filtering through (though I doubt it). The most important thing that Amazon has not addressed is labeling the kindle versions with clear and concise information as to the DRM that the publisher chose (i.e. number of devices, limitations, "the publisher through us can revoke this copy from you at anytime" blurb, etc..). If they did this then I'd say they have integrity and sales of kindle versions of books would be reflective of the publishers' use of DRM. By not doing this they're trying to play both sides - appeasing the publisher at all cost and then giving a weak apology to the customers with no concrete actions to address the problem (saying "We will use the scar tissue from this painful mistake to help make better decisions going forward, ones that match our mission" is just marketing speak for - we'll continue doing what we're doing since we can't point you to concrete steps that we have taken).

[blazamos]

Putting into practice "obsess over customers."

[vaksel]

protecting the customer from themselves

[thras]

That's the best damage control they can come up with? I realize that Bezos probably thinks he slumming when he delivers a personal apology, but I'm less impressed with Bezos than Bezos is.

I would have liked an explanation for what happened. I would have liked to see what steps were being taken to see that it never happens again and that it couldn't happen again. I would like to see what is being done to recompense the customers (have they been shipped complimentary hardcovers of the yanked books yet?).

This apology fails on all three fronts.

[onreact-com]

It took him a week of bad press to apologize! This means it's not sincere but just an attempt to appease the raging crowds. He just figured out after a week of horrible publicity that no other tactic will work so he had to apologize. Next time apologize immediately so I can believe you are truly sincere.