What Amazon’s 1984 Incident has wrought

Dear Amazon:

Here’s what you 1984 incident has wrought.

Exhibit A:

I wanted an ebook reader, I wanted a Kindle even. I’m an iPhone user of all things, I’ll compromise my DRM and sharecropping principles over a good technology package experience every time. Yet, the idea that you coded the feature that would delete books I’ve already bought? Even Apple hasn’t done that yet. I won’t be buying a Kindle, or any of your Kindle books.

Exhibit B:

My darling wife, who understands my feelings on most DRM and closed platform issues, but gets a bit bemused when I get all passionate about them, just looked a bit crestfallen when I told her that Zappos just got bought out by Amazon — she said “Really?!? but I liked Zappos”

Software has values. Misusing them has consequences you would never predict.