Is it just me..? Underlinings in Kindle

[E G Logan]

I am having a long – and so far fruitless – dialogue with Amazon staff about my Kindle. Specifically, about how I can stop other people's underlinings/notes appearing on Kindle books I have just bought.

There are two issues here: 1. the logistics (do not even think about that one), and 2. the one I'd be interested to discuss here: why does Amazon think I'd be remotely interested in the underlinings made by other people? Not to mention the snazzy new facility enabling me to count the total number of other people who have remarked on a particular passage by underlining it.

For the avoidance of doubt: I am utterly un-interested in either of these last two. I do not care – in fact, seeing them drives me nuts. I might ask for your opinion, my friends' or relatives'... but people I'll never meet, whom I do not know...?

I also reject out of hand all promotional emails (I do a lot of online shopping) that come with suggestions for a 'capsule wardrobe curated by an influencer...'

Am I alone in this?

 

[CageSage]

Want to turn them off? How to Turn Off Popular Highlights on Your Kindle
On the desktop app, it's under Options and can be applied across the board by un-ticking 'Popular Highlights':

 

[RK Wallis]

Underlining doesn't really bother me. If it's not something I want to highlight, I just read over it. That's just me

 

[E G Logan]

Want to turn them off? How to Turn Off Popular Highlights on Your Kindle
On the desktop app, it's under Options and can be applied across the board by un-ticking 'Popular Highlights':

View attachment 11152

Thank you. That's what the well-meaning young man from Amazon suggested – but it doesn't work on a Kindle as old as mine, I found. I don't have that many Options. (3rd generation, with keyboard)

 

[E G Logan]

Underlining doesn't really bother me. If it's not something I want to highlight, I just read over it. That's just me

You are blessed with a less obsessive nature than me, lucky woman. For me, it's like ordering a brand new (paper) book and finding it's arrived with someone else's – maybe lots of people's – notes written on it.

I wouldn't have got so incensed about it had not the young man 'helping' me said: "But are you sure you don't want to see these? Most people find them really interesting."
Maybe most people are the ones making the notes...

 

[Hannah F]

You are blessed with a less obsessive nature than me, lucky woman. For me, it's like ordering a brand new (paper) book and finding it's arrived with someone else's – maybe lots of people's – notes written on it.

I wouldn't have got so incensed about it had not the young man 'helping' me said: "But are you sure you don't want to see these? Most people find them really interesting."
Maybe most people are the ones making the notes...

I don't read on kindle, but I'm with you @E G Logan. I would hate it. If I bought a kindle book and discovered I had to read through underlinings, it would be the last kindle book I would buy.

 

[KateESal]

Ach, yes, they are a bit irritating. Like @RK Capps, however, I tend to tune them out.

Of course, we never actually own an ebook we have 'bought'...I think we only have it on permanent licence (possibly @CageSage might be able to clarify this). While that can be a chilling prospect (they could take 'our' books away from us any time they liked) it also means it's not 'our' book that's been besmirched by the underlinings. And as Cage says, the underlinings aren't permanent as such (although I get your frustration at not having the option to remove them).

I'm not an underliner myself, but my daughter often underlines favourite passages on her ebooks (sorry, EG!)

 

[Emily]

That would drive me mad, I'm with you on that @E G Logan!

I'm not an underliner myself, but my daughter often underlines favourite passages on her ebooks (sorry, EG!)

I keep little packets of post-it notes (the small, semi opaque ones are best as you can read through them and they hold their "stick") with all my piles of books, and everytime I find a line that just delights or intrigues me, I stick one beside it. It's a brilliant way to find stuff you want to remember again, quickly. We were tidying our library this morning and I've found books from 20+ years ago with stickies still sticking on paragraphs that I found interesting at the time

 

[Hannah F]

That would drive me mad, I'm with you on that @E G Logan!


I keep little packets of post-it notes (the small, semi opaque ones are best as you can read through them and they hold their "stick") with all my piles of books, and everytime I find a line that just delights or intrigues me, I stick one beside it. It's a brilliant way to find stuff you want to remember again, quickly. We were tidying our library this morning and I've found books from 20+ years ago with stickies still sticking on paragraphs that I found interesting at the time

What a good idea! That saves many bookmarks then trying to find it again when the bookmark falls out. I must look out for semi-opaque stickies.

 

[E G Logan]

What a good idea! That saves many bookmarks then trying to find it again when the bookmark falls out. I must look out for semi-opaque stickies.

Filofax does semi-opaque small narrow strips that are sticky at one end. They're meant for diaries – and Filofaxes, obvs! – but they do the bookmarking job quite well. Dayglow bright colours, too.

 

[CageSage]

Ach, yes, they are a bit irritating. Like @RK Capps, however, I tend to tune them out.

Of course, we never actually own an ebook we have 'bought'...I think we only have it on permanent licence (possibly @CageSage might be able to clarify this). While that can be a chilling prospect (they could take 'our' books away from us any time they liked) it also means it's not 'our' book that's been besmirched by the underlinings. And as Cage says, the underlinings aren't permanent as such (although I get your frustration at not having the option to remove them).

I'm not an underliner myself, but my daughter often underlines favourite passages on her ebooks (sorry, EG!)

We pay to access the books, we don't 'own' them. It's on licence, and if we breach the conditions of licence, we lose that access, not just to the books, but often the site. There are discussions underway to use blockchain technology to allow buyers to 'own' their copies, and the on-sell - with a smaller % of the sale going to the author. These discussions have been going on for a few years - can you imagine what the current licence holders will lose if they allow buyers to 'own' the product?

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[Hannah F]

We pay to access the books, we don't 'own' them. It's on licence, and if we breach the conditions of licence, we lose that access, not just to the books, but often the site. There are discussions underway to use blockchain technology to allow buyers to 'own' their copies, and the on-sell - with a smaller % of the sale going to the author. These discussions have been going on for a few years - can you imagine what the current licence holders will lose if they allow buyers to 'own' the product?

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I'm sticking to purchasing hardcopy and really and truly owning my books forever or choosing to give away those I know I shan't read again.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I've gone to reading Kindle books on my phone, rather than my ancient Kindle device, and have turned off all those stupid underlines.

The whole 'subscription' model for books, music, and software irritates me. I have albums--special editions--that I bought individually that have lost songs when I subscribed to Apple music, because the Apple version of the album didn't contain those songs. Never mind that I didn't get the album through Apple music to begin with ... they replaced it with their own version. I hate that they can manipulate what's stored on my device without my knowledge or agreement.

 

[CageSage]

I've gone to reading Kindle books on my phone, rather than my ancient Kindle device, and have turned off all those stupid underlines.

The whole 'subscription' model for books, music, and software irritates me. I have albums--special editions--that I bought individually that have lost songs when I subscribed to Apple music, because the Apple version of the album didn't contain those songs. Never mind that I didn't get the album through Apple music to begin with ... they replaced it with their own version. I hate that they can manipulate what's stored on my device without my knowledge or agreement.

Apparently, there's also an app for phones that will read an eBook (maybe not great with the voices, but great for on-the-run final read-through).

 

[RK Wallis]

have turned off all those stupid underlines.

You can do that? I'm searching for that button ...

I hate that they can manipulate what's stored on my device without my knowledge or agreement.

I'm totally with you on that one. It's outrageous they charge for it and take it away. So rude!

 

[Robinne Weiss]

You can do that? I'm searching for that button ...

Yes, you can. I don't at all remember where it is (it was hard to find--I remember that much). It's possible the setting is in your Amazon devices account, not on the kindle itself. You might poke around there as well. Good luck!

 

[RK Wallis]

Yes, you can. I don't at all remember where it is (it was hard to find--I remember that much). It's possible the setting is in your Amazon devices account, not on the kindle itself. You might poke around there as well. Good luck!

thanks!

 

[E G Logan]

I discussed this at length on the telephone with a member of Amazon's Kindle Help staff. Locating and contacting such a person was an exercise in itself. Only for the very determined.

When I eventually found one of the references I was given, it was for Kindle Paperwhites and later. My well-loved Kindle, however, is several versions earlier than that (3rd gen, with keyboard) – as I had in fact explained – and it does not seem to have the options that were introduced later.

Meanwhile the underlinings/notes continue to drive me nuts.
I am waiting until my Kindle finally turns up its toes, when I will start using the one my son gave me for Christmas the last time I complained about K1's random eccentricities. (It would take too long to explain.) Periodically I take the newer one out and look at it: it has no keyboard. But, magically, just doing this seems to restore K1 to functioning obediently for a time....

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I rarely read on the actual Kindle anymore. I have the Kindle app on my phone and tend to read there instead. Not as nice a reading experience, but I usually have my phone with me and charged, unlike my ancient Kindle, which struggles to hold charge anymore, and always seems to be somewhere I'm not when I have a moment to read.

In fact, I have five different e-reader apps on my phone (LOL!), making it my go-to place for reading these days.

 

[E G Logan]

I often use the app for reading my Kindle book on my laptop, with external screen, the one I use for editing. And even though K1 is struggling to hold a charge these days, I still prefer either of these to my phone.

Still, it'd be a dull world if everyone was the same! (Apart from the hundreds underlining the very same passages in my Kindle...)

 

[Jonny]

Late to the party. I too am one of those who find / found this irritating beyond belief. Like canned laughter in a sitcom.

When I got my fist Kindle it nearly drove me mad until I sussed out how to switch the damn things off. It was like having a book with pages others had dogeared. Grrrrrrr... Luckily, the fix James highlighted above did the trick for me. I had long since forgotten about them until seeing this thread.

Although, I rarely use a Kindle these days, preferring the Kindle App on my old and steam-driven iPad mini.

Maybe most people are the ones making the notes...

@E G Logan Yes this exactly - (for me) sums it up. 100%