Amazon Fail: Another Update

[filkertom]

Interesting stuff. No public statement yet from Amazon, and they really could use one. One guy claims responsibility. Another guy calls bullshit.

Much more important, I have received a message from someone who works for Amazon (who wants to remain anonymous), saying on good authority that it really actually was a glitch. Somebody did something stupid, and the problem is that the sheer scale of what happened means it will take awhile to sort out. But they are on it.

I don't know any of this for sure myself (although I'm inclined to believe the Amazon employee); we'll see what goes on. However, I did have to tell you guys about one thing. Last night, I was speaking with sazettel, who suggested a possible way of affecting Amazon directly if it did turn out to be their fault and deliberate: Everyone who has one return their Kindle.

At which point I started laughing like a loon, and created these:


I probably should get the domain putthekindleback.com or something, but I don't care all that much. And, who knows, they may fix everything up this afternoon. But I at least wanted to share the joke. If you use 'em, please credit me and tomsmithonline.com.

ETA: the info from the Amazon employee.

Comments

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

I looked at the cost of a Kindle. I've decided I'd rather buy a One Laptop Per Child from eBay, so I can write on public transportation without worrying about dropping/spilling coffee on my expensive laptop. It works as an eBook reader, took.

Also, thank you for making me smile.

[pandoradeloeste.livejournal.com]

OLPC wins so hard. I did a project on them for an econ class. I love the idea of a handcrank-powered laptop.

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

About the only good thing about the Kindle is the free internet connection for life!

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

Well, unless you're a Canadian.

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

or anywhere in the world other than America.

[palenoue.livejournal.com]

I have an OLPC from their first "Buy One, Give One" program. Very rugged, very portable. Highly recommend it for that. Unfortunately the native user interface is awkward, you can tell it was created by someone who lives and breaths command line interface and only _thinks_ he understands what GUI means. If you get one plan on installing another flavor of Linux.