The Great Library of Amazonia

theodp writes "Amazon had a dream. To bring the world a modern-day Library of Alexandria. Apparently they had a second dream. To own the patents on it. Interestingly, fears of lost cookbook and reference text sales voiced by the Author's Guild are echoed in Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos's patent application for the Suppression of features in digital images of content and a9.com CEO Udi Manber's follow up Access to electronic images of text based on user ownership of corresponding physical text, which discuss how one might block content from viewers who have no proof-of-purchase for a book on file with booksellers."

Comments

Say it ain't so.

[Templar]

Oh my. Hypocracy in corporate America. I'm shocked.

Re:Yes, there's a reason

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, there's a reason why I don't buy anything from amazon.

Pirahnas?

Of course.

[Anonymous Coward]

"...discuss how one might block content from viewers who have no proof-of-purchase for a book on file with booksellers."

Because this was an issue back in the day in the library of Alexandria too, with those pesky raiding marauders burning books without a proof of purchase on file from booksellers!

Re:Yes, there's a reason

[whovian]

Yes, there's a reason why I don't buy anything from amazon.

Don't you want to know what customers also didn't buy?

Re:You have to own books first?

[Hogwash McFly]

it seems that this tool is going to require you to already own books to be able to search them?

Now, now. That's no way to talk about Jeff Bezos.

Re:Allowing access to electronic version

[Anonymous Coward]

There are even some Republicans who read books.

I was with you up until that point...

Re:The thing about Alexandria . . .

[gowen]

Back in the day, any ship entering port at Alexandria had to declare any books, maps, written works, etc they were carrying as part the customs process

yeah, but that was before they got a Cease and Desist scroll from the "Maps & Papyrus Association of Assyria".