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Amazon Stymies Lendle E-book Lending Service

Posted by Soulskill on from the pulling-the-rug dept.

CheerfulMacFanboy writes "CNET quotes Lendle co-founder Jeff Croft: 'They [Amazon] shut the API access off, and without it, our site is mostly useless. So, we went ahead and pulled it down. Could we build a lending site without their API? Yes. But it wouldn't be the quality of product we expect from ourselves.' Croft also said 'at least two other Kindle lending services got the same message' yesterday.'"

10 of 237 comments (clear)

  1. Read... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Without the functionality being sanctioned by Amazon's own API, we aren't sure if there is a legal sinkhole waiting to ruin us.

    10$ says Amazon has their own 'lending' service come online involving modest per-loan fees within 6 months.

  2. Hay guyz by Alex+Belits · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Let's make a web site that completely and entirely depends on some interface provided by large perpetually hungry company!

    And compete with that company!

    --
    Contrary to the popular belief, there indeed is no God.
    1. Re:Hay guyz by somersault · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's interesting that the "quality they expect from themselves" depends entirely on them not actually doing any work themselves. I know I could build a quality [insert product here] if I were given enough time to research and develop. The fact that they say it just wouldn't be good enough, rather than it would take too long, is kind of sad.

      --
      which is totally what she said
    2. Re:Hay guyz by outsider007 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think they mean that without the API, the most important features are missing. Unless your research and development includes hacking Amazon, I don't see what you could accomplish.

      --
      If you mod me down the terrorists will have won
    3. Re:Hay guyz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Why would you buy a book that can:

      a) be remotely disabled

      b) be remotely altered

      c) decide when/where/how you read it.

      All under the control of Amazon... a profit driven company.

      It's basically sleepwalking into 1984.

  3. No problem... by curious.corn · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ... on TPB business goes on as usual.

    Har, har, har

    --
    Mi domando chi à il mandante di tutte le cazzate che faccio - Altan
  4. Dear Amazon by argStyopa · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While I understand that the Kindle is sold somewhat as a loss-leader and a mechanism to try to sell ebooks for absurd prices (it's bad enough that paperbacks are $9; to charge that same price that costs you NOTHING to duplicate, NOTHING to store, NOTHING to ship, NOTHING to advertise is...hard to swallow), at some point even your lawyer-swaddled management must recognize that if one too blatantly attacks all *reasonable* means of use of that hardware, the only things left are going to be people who are willing and able to use your hardware WITHOUT your consent/cooperation, ie pirates.

      Cutting off Lendle (and with a classy c&d sent from a 'do not reply' email address and no recourse to appeal or discuss), secretly editing books, purging books that people have purchased - all of these things simply indicate that you as a vendor are untrustworthy. Therefore the trusting will go elsewhere, the unscrupulous will continue to use Kindles and here's the kick: you're not going to see a DIME of their activities.

    --
    -Styopa
  5. Re:Capitalism At Its Finest by WorBlux · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The DMCA is not a result of trade in the marketplace. It is the result of trade in the political economy, that is to say of state power and privilege.

  6. Re:Capitalism At Its Finest by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You've previously stated that you make close to $150k, why not just say that instead of skirting around the question?

    Oh, I know, it's because you know no one will take your claim of being "poor" seriously. Well, fortunately for us, this isn't 4chan and your posts never get erased.

    Have a nice day. :)

  7. Re:Capitalism At Its Finest by Stormthirst · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What makes me really laugh about the Americans whinging about people spending their taxes on healthcare, is that despite spending nearly twice as much per capita on healthcare than Canada, they still have a lower life expectancy for reference and their infant mortality is significantly higher. And even funnier, their % of government revenue spent on health, is higher than Canada too.

    Surely a solution to this is for the government to regulate the healthcare and medical insurance industries to ensure the cost isn't completely ridiculous so EVERYONE can afford healthcare.

    Oh - and before anyone bleats on about not being able to see a doctor when you like - Canada has a very similar number of physicians per capita to America. There is no need for rationing.

    Also - for the parent posting - when will you decide your body is failing enough for you to get insurance? When you're 30? When you're 40? When you're 50? Sickness can strike at any time - it's not just limited to the old.