# Microsoft Closes The Book On Its E-Library, Erasing All User Content **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 8, 2019, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708 "2019-07-08T13:46:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/21 "2019-07-09T17:02:23Z")
I see it as Example 14985 of the transitory and ephemeral nature of free internet services. I learned my lesson with GeoCities and got a repeat lesson when AOL shut down its “home town” or whatever it called its personal webpage hosting. Other people got the lesson brought home to them when Apple ceased the free service ( I forget whether the original name when it was free was .Mac or iHome or Mobile Me or whatever, they kept changing the name of it; but one fine day the announcement went out that it would no longer be free ). Admittedly, services that you actually pay for can disappear out from under you as well, although you might actually have some recourse in that situation. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/22 "2019-07-09T17:14:13Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > Um, although I agree with much that has been said, Microsoft is shutting down the bookstore because it didn’t sell much, and _is fulling reimbursing every customer_. This is different from the Wal-Mart case or that time when Amazon [rewrote history about _1984_](https://io9.gizmodo.com/amazon-secretly-removes-1984-from-the-kindle-5317703). Right. But it’s more typical that, when a store shuts down, they say “You can keep anything you’ve already bought from us; you just can’t buy any more.” In the case of a store selling digital content, they might also say, “Make sure you’ve downloaded all the content you bought from us by [such-and-such date], or you won’t be able to access it.” It seems strange to me that they would, instead, say “We’re ‘taking back’ everything you ever bought from us, but we’ll refund you the purchase price.” I can only imagine this is because their DRM system doesn’t give them a good way of allowing customers to continue to access content they’ve already bought on their own. Can you imagine if Amazon had to offer a full refund to everyone who’s ever purchased e-books from them?! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/23 "2019-07-09T17:56:10Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > Um, although I agree with much that has been said, Microsoft is shutting down the bookstore because it didn’t sell much, and _is fulling reimbursing every customer_. It’s _offering_ to reimburse every customer. There are going to be a _lot_ of customers who are not going to get a refund. People move, change credit cards, get new emails, etc. Plus there are those that just have personal crap happen to them like dying, for example. Are the heirs to a 1000-ebook library going to get a refund? How? The heirs of a 1000-dead-tree-book library have no such problems. The presumption that every person who “bought” one of these ebooks is going to automagically get paid back is inconsistent with the reality of such situations. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/24 "2019-07-09T18:04:42Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Used book stores used to be a important resource for book lovers. Still are. If you’re ever in DC, stop by the Manassas National Battlefield; when you’re done there, head three miles south to Manaport Plaza. Very nice used book store there. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/25 "2019-07-09T21:28:22Z")
I was ridiculed for expressing the concern this would happen. Right here on the SDMB. Vindicated. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/26 "2019-07-09T21:55:22Z")
I don’t understand why Microsoft is refunding money and snatching the books away? If they want to shut the Microsoft book store, then shut the darn thing. Turn off the lights and go out of business. Happens all the time with brick & mortar book stores. Why upset and piss off customers that bought ebooks books in good faith? I can’t see any reason for what Microsoft is doing. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/27 "2019-07-09T23:00:02Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > This argument has been used for why it’s okay to break the DRM in order to be able to read your ebooks on other platforms. It was also used for why it was okay to burn a CD of your iTunes songs–which iTunes actually made possible. When Wal-Mart shut down their online music store that was actually what they advised their customers to do – burn all your music to CDs and re-rip them to remove the DRM and be able to continue listening to it. I didn’t have a huge collection of music from them, just a handful of songs, so it wasn’t a huge deal for me to do that, but I imagine it was pretty tedious for those who had large collections. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/28 "2019-07-10T01:13:16Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I don’t understand why Microsoft is refunding money and snatching the books away? > > If they want to shut the Microsoft book store, then shut the darn thing. Turn off the lights and go out of business. Because their DRM method requires that the system checks the rights status for the book when you try to read it–turn off the lights, and that can no longer happen. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/29 "2019-07-10T01:22:24Z")
If Amazon erased all my content and gave me my money back, I would be the happiest woman alive. Because I’m sure I’ve spent well over 10 grand in past 10 years. I’ve received over $750 in those lawsuit payouts. And most of those books I would never want to read again. It would be a real windfall. Now I almost wish I had Microsoft E-library. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/30 "2019-07-10T01:27:45Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > I was ridiculed for expressing the concern this would happen. > Right here on the SDMB. > > Vindicated. No, you didn’t. You were [talking](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19937758&postcount=30) [about](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16359149&postcount=21) [Amazon](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18108843&postcount=25). (And you seem to be [this guy](https://www.theonion.com/area-man-constantly-mentioning-he-doesnt-own-a-televisi-1819565469).) ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/31 "2019-07-10T11:24:51Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I don’t understand why Microsoft is refunding money and snatching the books away? > > If they want to shut the Microsoft book store, then shut the darn thing. Turn off the lights and go out of business. > > Happens all the time with brick & mortar book stores. > > Why upset and piss off customers that bought ebooks books in good faith? I can’t see any reason for what Microsoft is doing. I’m not a Microsoft e-book customer, but I’m sure there’s a perpetual access clause in the fine print somewhere. Part of the “deal” with DRM content is that the customer will have access to their content eternally. If the customer’s computer/tablet/e-reader is changed for a new one, the “bookstore” must allow the books to be transferred over, etc. To keep up that end of the deal, Microsoft would have to keep the servers going, adapt the site so it still works with Google Chrome version 432, deal with some security threat that will surface in 2022, etc. And possibly keep paying the publishers. It’s cheaper to just announce it’s closing and offer a refund. So, ironically, they’re deleting everybody’s books because these are perpetual books. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/32 "2019-07-10T13:17:36Z")
Before you can archive your e-book library and without even getting into the issue of DRM encryption, you need to download the books from the server onto your computer. If you haven’t and the server goes away, you’re screwed and that’s that. There is nothing egregious (AFAIK) about Microsoft in this regard if they now choose to get out of this business, depending of course on how much advance notice customers were actually given and how straightforward (or impossible) their sofware makes it for users to download and keep their entire library in a usable format (i.e., does it literally delete books you have already downloaded or their encryption keys) ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/33 "2019-07-10T14:26:15Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I only turn on the WiFi on my Kindle for a few minutes every week or so when I need to download purchases. Then it goes back off. I don’t even do that. Instead I “download via USB” and use [Calibre](https://calibre-ebook.com/about) to massage the file and transfer it to the Kindle. With it, in the Calibre library and in the Kindle, each book’s files are stowed in a directory of the author’s name in a subdirectory Book Title (nnn). Without it, the book files on the Kindle are just in a big pile of directories with whatever name the publisher decided it should have. Project Gutenberg books for example are pgnnnn with the numbers being the project number for the book. This satisfies my OCD soul regarding finding a file. The only time I turned on the wi-fi connection on purpose is to download a book from the public library and a couple times in the past years when the device time got jiggered somehow. This upsets the Last Book Read ordering as some are with the old (correct) time and some are with the new (God knows what) time. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/34 "2019-07-11T21:59:13Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > No, you didn’t. You were [talking](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19937758&postcount=30) [about](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16359149&postcount=21) [Amazon](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18108843&postcount=25). > > (And you seem to be [this guy](https://www.theonion.com/area-man-constantly-mentioning-he-doesnt-own-a-televisi-1819565469).) So what? At the core, Amazon might do the same, in 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/35 "2019-07-11T23:27:46Z")
And, for savvy ebook users, that won’t be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/36 "2019-07-13T01:15:41Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Who said anything seemed illegal? As you yourself acknowledge, it’s not only perfectly legal but absolutely necessary in this case. > > What I recommended was refusing to buy any product with DRM, but, if for whatever reason you have one, break away. Let me put it this way: what you are describing, breaking it for your own use, is illegal. No personal use exception exists. I was pointing out a possible loophole, the exception that exists for interoperability. I was trying to make sure this thread didn’t get shut down due to your choice to recommend doing something illegal that has gotten threads shut down before. You’ll note I continue to not recommend that someone “strip” the DRM, even with my theory. There is a very obvious reason. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/37 "2019-07-13T01:24:14Z")
That “your” should be understood to be people in the thread, not the poster in particular. I tried to edit, but my browser crashed, and it took too long to be it back up. I also wanted to point out that the exceptions I am talking about are those created by the US Copyright Office, who is empowered to make exceptions by the DMCA. People have tried to get them to allow a personal use exception, but none has been allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/38 "2019-07-13T01:35:36Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Let me put it this way: what you are describing, breaking it for your own use, is illegal. No personal use exception exists. > > I was pointing out a possible loophole, the exception that exists for interoperability. > > I was trying to make sure this thread didn’t get shut down due to your choice to recommend doing something illegal that has gotten threads shut down before. > > You’ll note I continue to not recommend that someone “strip” the DRM, even with my theory. There is a very obvious reason. _ **You** _ are the one risking getting the thread shut down, by pointing out something that the mods might not notice (or might want to be able to plausibly deny noticing.) Thanks for that. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/39 "2019-07-13T02:59:23Z")
Is there any way to transfer them to another source, or if you can, print some of the ones you really want out? (I know that’s not always practical, but I don’t have an e-reader, just the software on my laptop) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2019, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708/40 "2019-07-13T18:14:54Z")
If you can print your screen, you can certainly print an ebook one page at a time. Probably not very practical, but it’ll work for small things. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsoft-closes-the-book-on-its-e-library-erasing-all-user-content/836708.md?page=3)