From: Sean Andrews <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2012 08:20:45 -0500

On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 4:56 PM, LIBLICENSE <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Sandy Thatcher <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:04:32 -0500
>
> Perhaps this throws some light (or yet more darkness) on the question?
>
> http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/10/23/but-why-would-amazon-wipe-your-kindle-to-protect-amazon/
>
> Sandy Thatcher

Perhaps. Though in that case, it would be useful if the company would
offer some comment since it's become a very public tale of its inane
customer service.   Simply wiping that customer's account with no
explanation (after they have legitimately purchased e-books, wherever
their credit card is billed) is unacceptable and points to the general
precarity of this emergent market.

As for Jim's original concern, it reminds me of John Locke's complaint
about the licensing acts of the late 1600s - particularly the
provision preventing imported books.

http://books.google.com/books?id=zVOBgU3nDUcC&pg=PA377&lpg=PA377&dq=no+books+to+be+printed+or+imported+locke&source=bl&ots=1JYe1SOnzD&sig=qSF5nPkSgFRIcl993hGRpa9qKLg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YeqHUJbuBOyl2AXmlYDIDQ&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=no%20books%20to%20be%20printed%20or%20imported%20locke&f=false

Whatever the policy here, it is obviously becoming quickly outdated,
just as the licensing acts of Locke's time - which were shortly
replaced with the Statute of Anne, for better or worse.

Sean Andrews