Amazon removed books from my Kindle

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jlinear

What would you recommend?

I would recommend creating a directory such as books and using this code in front of your template.

books/

That would put all of your eBooks in one directory. It's what I do.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by muggleMode

Perhaps a solution would be to save the book folder on the PC in case this happens.
or maybe mark a file in the folder as read-only.

A better solution would be to use the Reading List plugin. It can automatically mark which books are on your device. Then if you do have books removed, you can mark all of the book you had on your Reader to be added back again using Reading List. Then you plug in the Reader and the books get put on automatically. It works well once configured.

[JSWolf]

The reason I am suggesting trying Kindlegen is that it's an Amazon program. If eBooks converted with Kindlegen do not get removed but calibre converted ones not, then the thing to do is for someone to figure out what calibre needs to do to allow side loaded eBooks to remain so the code can be modified.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The reason I am suggesting trying Kindlegen is that it's an Amazon program. If eBooks converted with Kindlegen do not get removed but calibre converted ones not, then the thing to do is for someone to figure out what calibre needs to do to allow side loaded eBooks to remain so the code can be modified.

For what it's worth, when I connected my Paperwhite 10th gen. to WiFi on Saturday for the first time since before Christmas, 2023, all the sideloaded content was removed. Since most of these books were ones that I had formatted/edited for others, it wasn't a big deal for me. Some of those books were generated by calibre, others were generated by Kindlegen either directly or through the KFX output plugin. I'm using the Kindlegen installed by Kindle Previewer 3.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by DNSB

For what it's worth, when I connected my Paperwhite 10th gen. to WiFi on Saturday for the first time since before Christmas, 2023, all the sideloaded content was removed.

I really wonder what Amazon would say their reason is for doing this. You'd think their lawyers might have told them how iffy this is. It's illegal to access someones computer without their consent and delete files. You'd think Amazon would see that they are very close to that, and could end up with some pretty bad publicity from a lawsuit. Whether that lawsuit is ultimately successful or not doesn't matter, the negative publicity is the real killer. I thought Amazon was way smarter than this. And I don't understand why someone who knows this will happen turns on WiFi anyway. What does a network connection to Amazon gain you that overshadows getting your books deleted?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by haertig

I really wonder what Amazon would say their reason is for doing this. You'd think their lawyers might have told them how iffy this is. It's illegal to access someones computer without their consent and delete files. You'd think Amazon would see that they are very close to that, and could end up with some pretty bad publicity from a lawsuit. Whether that lawsuit is ultimately successful or not doesn't matter, the negative publicity is the real killer. I thought Amazon was way smarter than this.

Around here, Amazon attempts to tell you that you can't sue Amazon? Check the Canadian version of their EULA.

DISPUTES

Any dispute or claim relating in any way to your use of any Amazon Service, or to any products or services sold or distributed by Amazon or through Amazon Services will be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than in court, except that (1) you may assert claims in small claims court if your claims qualify and (2) if an applicable law in your province of residence gives you the right to resolve your dispute or claim before the courts of that province notwithstanding your agreement to arbitration, you may elect either to do so or proceed in arbitration.

There is no judge or jury in arbitration, and court review of an arbitration award is limited. However, an arbitrator can award on an individual basis the same damages and relief as a court (including injunctive and declaratory relief or statutory damages), and must follow the terms of these Conditions of Use as a court would.

To begin an arbitration proceeding, you must send a letter requesting arbitration and describing your claim to our registered agent Corporation Service Company, 300 Deschutes Way SW, Suite 304, Tumwater, WA 98501. The arbitration will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its rules, including the AAA's Supplementary Procedures for Consumer-Related Disputes. The AAA's rules are available at www.adr.org or by calling 1-800-778-7879. Payment of all filing, administration and arbitrator fees will be governed by the AAA's rules. We will reimburse those fees for claims totalling less than $10,000 unless the arbitrator determines the claims are frivolous. Likewise, Amazon will not seek attorneys' fees and costs in arbitration unless the arbitrator determines the claims are frivolous. You may choose to have the arbitration conducted by telephone, based on written submissions, or in person in the county where you live or at another mutually agreed location.

We each agree that any dispute resolution proceedings will be conducted only on an individual basis and not in a class, consolidated or representative action. If for any reason a claim proceeds in court rather than in arbitration we each waive any right to a jury trial. We also both agree that you or we may bring suit in court to enjoin infringement or other misuse of intellectual property rights.

Though according to one acquaintance of mine, this portion of the EULA might fly in the United States but in all Canadian jurisdictions, it is going to crash and burn due to conflicting with consumer protection legislation. In the American flavour of the Disputes section, it just says that all cases must be tried in a King County court and both sides waive their rights to a jury trial.

Originally Posted by haertig

And I don't understand why someone who knows this will happen turns on WiFi anyway. What does a network connection to Amazon gain you that overshadows getting your books deleted?

Perhaps that I really don't care about the content on my Paperwhite 10th gen.? It is only used to check that books I have worked on for other people render properly on a Kindle ereader.

Since I hadn't used it in over a month, I was somewhat curious as to whether or not I would get the sideloaded content being deleted that others were complaining about. As a calibre user, my content lives in calibre so no issues with recopying any books that were tagged as being on my Paperwhite.

Now if my Kobo Sage did that, I would be very upset what with having to reload the content from calibre taking me 30 minutes to copy the ~1500 books over, letting them import and connecting a 2nd time to update the metadata including series, collections, reading status, etc.

[Quoth]

T&C and contracts can't over-ride actual laws in most countries.

[JSWolf]

I've turned on my PW3. I've enabled WiFi. I've done a sync (says nothing new) and then I downloaded an eBook from my library.

How do I get Amazon to delete my side loaded eBooks?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've turned on my PW3. I've enabled WiFi. I've done a sync (says nothing new) and then I downloaded an eBook from my library.

How do I get Amazon to delete my side loaded eBooks?

Do you have any sideloaded books on your PW3?

[jlinear]

Originally Posted by haertig

And I don't understand why someone who knows this will happen turns on WiFi anyway. What does a network connection to Amazon gain you that overshadows getting your books deleted?

For myself, I recently subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and turned on WiFi to download some content. Instead, Amazon deleted my content. I just unsubscribed from Kindle Unlimited.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by haertig

I really wonder what Amazon would say their reason is for doing this. You'd think their lawyers might have told them how iffy this is. It's illegal to access someones computer without their consent and delete files. You'd think Amazon would see that they are very close to that, and could end up with some pretty bad publicity from a lawsuit. Whether that lawsuit is ultimately successful or not doesn't matter, the negative publicity is the real killer. I thought Amazon was way smarter than this. And I don't understand why someone who knows this will happen turns on WiFi anyway. What does a network connection to Amazon gain you that overshadows getting your books deleted?

Somewhere around firmware 5.10.x amazon added code to forcibly delete directories named update.bin.tmp.partial even if they were set as readonly and regardless of whether they held personal files, so they have had that attitude for some time.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Somewhere around firmware 5.10.x amazon added code to forcibly delete directories named update.bin.tmp.partial even if they were set as readonly and regardless of whether they held personal files, so they have had that attitude for some time.

They have acquired lots of cavalier attitudes in recent years that they didn't have earlier. I used to love both Amazon and Kindles, but their recent policies and decisions have managed to sour this feeling thoroughly.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by jlinear

For myself, I recently subscribed to Kindle Unlimited and turned on WiFi to download some content. Instead, Amazon deleted my content. I just unsubscribed from Kindle Unlimited.

Oh, yeah. I forgot about the recent change to Kindle Unlimited. You have to have WiFi on to download books to use that now. It's the reason that I threw out Kindle Unlimited. Can't believe I forgot about that. I guess that tells you how far KU is from my consciousness now.

Still ... now the deal is that if you DO want to continue using KU, then you have to put up with Amazon deleting your sideloaded books??? How insane has Amazon gotten these days?! My Kindle is working fine and I don't intend to replace it any time soon (I leave WiFi turned off 100% of the time). But when it finally dies and I need a replacement device, things are not looking good for a new Kindle to make the potential purchase list. I did not realize that Amazon had gotten this bad.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

They have acquired lots of cavalier attitudes in recent years that they didn't have earlier. I used to love both Amazon and Kindles, but their recent policies and decisions have managed to sour this feeling thoroughly.

amazon is a poster child for enshittification.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification
https://www.techdirt.com/2023/06/21/...hittification/
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cu...-of-everything
https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-p...cory-doctorow/
https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...f-the-internet

[haertig]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

amazon is a poster child for enshittification.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification
https://www.techdirt.com/2023/06/21/...hittification/
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cu...-of-everything
https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-p...cory-doctorow/
https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...f-the-internet

Those were some really good articles to read. Thanks for posting the links!