[A2k] Re: [Upd-discuss] Free us from the Swindle

[Claude Almansi]

On Tue, Apr 14, 2009 at 11:14 PM, Richard M Stallman <rms@gnu.org> wrote:
> I sympathize with the feeling behind these protests, but they are
> directed at the wrong target.
>
> The protestors rightly condemn the Authors Guild for demanding
> the removal of the screen reader feature, but the way they are
> doing it makes Amazon look like a victim. =C2=A0Actually it is the
> main perpetrator.

True: however the awareness that Amazon is no victim has been
expressed on this a2k list, and in several comments left on the
petition.

But the Authors Guild's misrepresentation of text-to-speech,
tactically, had to be addressed first, because it threatens the
legitimity of text-to-speech in general, with possibly dangerous other
consequences. For instance,  the content industry lobbies
systematically for the removal of clauses from copyright laws
allowing the circumvention of DRM when this circumvention is necessary
to use an object or text with assistive technology, including
text-to-speech.

And next month WIPO will be discussing the World Blind Union's
Proposal for a Treaty for Blind, Visually Impaired and other Reading
Disabled Persons (downloadable from
<http://www.keionline.org/index.php?option=3Dcom_content&task=3Dview&id=3D2=
06>),
which also affirms that circumvention is legitimate when needed for
access through assistive technology. Hence the importance of stopping
the misconception of text-to-speech promulgated by the Authors Guild.

>
> The reason that Amazon can turn off the screen reader capability is
> that the machines use non-free software, controlled by Amazon rather
> than by the user. =C2=A0If Amazon can turn this off retroactively (does
> anyone know for certain if they did?), it implies the product has a
> dangerous back door.
>
> In addition, the Amazon Swindle is designed with Digital Restrictions
> Management to stop people from sharing. =C2=A0It is a nasty product with =
an
> evil goal.

The backdoor is one of 2 hypotheses made by Doctorow  in
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/mar/31/cory-doctorow-kindle>,
where he also graphically illustrates the DRM problem.

>
> I hope there will be protests against Amazon's role in these events.

So do I: apart from the intrinsic problems you explained, by not
informing authors and publishers clearly about the text-to-speech
feature of the Kindle 2 in advance, by then presenting it as a
gimmick, and above all, by caving in to the Authors Guild
misrepresentation of this feature, Amazon have proved their dangerous
irresponsibility. In the article mentioned above, Doctorow wrote:

"And on the day that Amazon goes crazy, goes under, or goes to the
dogs, our readers =E2=80=93 the people whose long-term goodwill we depend o=
n
to earn our livings =E2=80=93 face the possibility of having their Kindles
arbitrarily downgraded, refeatured, or otherwise modified to attack
them and the books they've bought from us."

Well, Amazon hasn't gone under - yet.

Best

Claude Almansi