On: Amazon's New Plan to Pay Authors Every Time Someone Turns a Page

[freyr]

Because it's the device they're offering, the version of the content they're offering, and the service they're offering.

If you disagree with this practice, you're free to not accept the offer. It's as simple as that.

[icebraining → freyr]

Just because people are free to refuse it doesn't mean we must find it acceptable and refrain from criticizing it.

[freyr → icebraining]

Of course you're free to criticize it, but declaring it "acceptable" or "unacceptable" without justification isn't particularly helpful.

[task_queue → freyr]

If you disagree with this practice, you're free to choose from one the competitors which engage in the same collection activities.

[gdy → freyr]

It doesn't make it acceptable.

[freyr → gdy]

No, it is acceptable.

See? Random people declaring something acceptable or unacceptable without justification isn't particularly helpful. If you want to explain why you find it unacceptable, that might actually be interesting to someone.

I don't mind Amazon knowing how far into a book I've read, if it allows them to better compensate the authors of quality books and helps them penalize the authors gaming the system. However, if you want to keep your reading habits private, I can sympathize with that. An opt-in/opt-out option might be a good compromise in this case.

[gdy → freyr]

By your logic drug, arms and organ trade also become acceptable.

As for Amazon, don't you think it is enough to make first, say, 10% pages free? If other 90% is junk then there are reviews for that.