So there's this new app that lets you read ebooks and it takes out and/or replaces the naughty words as you read.
Some folks, especially authors seem upset about this.
I'm curious the viewpoint of this community, since taking out bits we don't like is more or less the heart of fan-editing (although fan-editors usually take out the kissy parts, not the swears).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inktera.cleanreader
Does the app involve circumventing DRM? That could be one reason why the authors are offended....
....either that or they are offended that somebody would want to read their work without the hentai tentacle pedophile who eats babies while painting its house with the blood of their mothers and who only appears for shock value in a story that should have been for young kids....
....why am I thinking about such vulgarity?
edit: Seriously though, the main reason is probably because they are protective of their work and don't want it to be disassembled from drm.
Nobody sang The Bunny Song in years…
I think that's actually a pretty cool idea, personally.
What is, the censoring app, drm removal, or..........
Nobody sang The Bunny Song in years…
It's not something that holds any appeal for me, but if certain readers want their e-books to be profanity free, then more power to them.
This app will probably only appeal to people who want the world sanitized for their protection. (And those who like to control what others read.) If you can't handle a few swear words in print, you might want to rethink why you're reading certain things.
It's as dumb as those video stores and companies that censored the movies they sold.
People have tried to remove books from library shelves because of language, no matter the context in which it's used. Now you don't even have to engage in the tiring chore of finding naughty words, a computer can do it for you!
And drawing parallels to fan editing is a snake river canyon sized jump of logic.
I can only imagine what this thing does to books like Fifty Shades of Grey. ;)
Where were you in '77?
Fifty Shades of Grey is still a smutty book, even if you cover up the selected naughty words.
"He plunged his pulsating --------- into her quivering moist ---------, and they -------- all night, then she -------- his ------- until the sun came up."
Does that REALLY make it somehow better?
The whole thing strikes me as morally questionable, as if the "good" people who use it are trying to trick someone (themselves? God?). Or is it so you can give your kid "American Psycho" and still feel like a good parent?
"Yeah, I read 'Naked Came the Stranger' but I covered up the bad words. See you at church Grandma!"
SilverWook said:
This app will probably only appeal to people who want the world sanitized for their protection. (And those who like to control what others read.) If you can't handle a few swear words in print, you might want to rethink why you're reading certain things.
You say this like wanting the world sanitized is a bad thing. I have great coworkers, but I'd love it if they swore less around me.
It's as dumb as those video stores and companies that censored the movies they sold.
A great comparison, except I don't find those dumb either. I have a several movies in edited form, movies that I'd probably never have watched if I couldn't have gotten them edited. Note that I am not endorsing owning edited movies without the originals.
People have tried to remove books from library shelves because of language, no matter the context in which it's used. Now you don't even have to engage in the tiring chore of finding naughty words, a computer can do it for you!
Yes, books like Huckleberry Finn for using the N- word (see our recent discussion on that), in spite of the context and purpose of its usage. If you don't want to read the word, yet still enjoy a little Samuel Langhorn Clemens, why not enjoy an edited version?
And drawing parallels to fan editing is a snake river canyon sized jump of logic.
I fail to see how it is such a jump. You yourself compared it to the movie editing companies. Those are exactly like fan edits, the only difference being the type of editing going on (and the price tag on the editing). In spite of all the silliness added to The Ridiculous Menace, TV's Frink removed the gassy humor. Why? Because he didn't like it. Is it so horrible to remove profanity and sexual references if someone doesn't like it? That's fan editing.
I can only imagine what this thing does to books like Fifty Shades of Grey. ;)
Well, there comes a point where there is no purpose even reading a story. If I wanted to enjoy a war movie that has a sex scene and lots of violence in it, it would be nice to have a version without the sex and excess violence. If I wanted to watch some porn flick (I obviously do not), it seems pointless to get that edited, ya know.
By the way, a ruling was made a few years back on the editing of such movies. It is illegal (as is fan editing) because it alters the copyrighted content. However, there is a DVD Player (CleanPlay, I believe it is called) for which one can download parameters for any given movie. The physical movie itself remains unaltered, but the DVD player will skip the offensive material, and you can even choose the rating of said film. As nothing is physically altered, this was ruled legal. This seems to be an identical principle to the app we are discussing.
TheBoost said:
Fifty Shades of Grey is still a smutty book, even if you cover up the selected naughty words.
"He plunged his pulsating --------- into her quivering moist ---------, and they -------- all night, then she -------- his ------- until the sun came up."
Does that REALLY make it somehow better?
The whole thing strikes me as morally questionable, as if the "good" people who use it are trying to trick someone (themselves? God?). Or is it so you can give your kid "American Psycho" and still feel like a good parent?
"Yeah, I read 'Naked Came the Stranger' but I covered up the bad words. See you at church Grandma!"
I certainly don't feel like I'm trying to trick someone. I watched Saving Private Ryan as a teen. As an adult, I have resolved to avoid rated R movies. However, I enjoyed Private Ryan and wanted to see it again. Is it horrible that I am able to avoid the worst words, the sexual talk, and the worst violence, and instead enjoy a PG-13 version of the movie? I'm not trying to trick anyone. I'm just trying to watch a movie I enjoy while avoiding certain things that would make it less enjoyable for me.
What's the point of a war movie that is scrubbed of the very reasons war is a horrible nasty thing? That would be like Titanic where there's enough lifeboats for everyone. Oh wait, somebody actually did do that...
I don't care for people who curse loudly and in public, either. (And my Dad swore like the sailor he was. I curse quite a bit when nobody is around.) But you can usually avoid a book or movie if there's questionable content. Ratings these days are so detailed, they practically give away plot points.
Books don't have ratings of course, but reviews can probably clue one in as to content.
Fan edits are like dance remixes. They require a certain amount of creativity and passion that's lacking in something merely being edited to appeal to a segment of the audience who can't even handle the mild profanity allowed in G rated films. Anybody can censor a movie. You don't even need a pair of scissors these days.
This app would be more fun if you could at least replace the dirty words with suitable replacements, like kumquat, but it would probably censor that as well. ;)
Where were you in '77?
SilverWook said:
This app would be more fun if you could at least replace the dirty words with suitable replacements, like kumquat, but it would probably censor that as well. ;)
I read an example online. The real book read:
"If they don't think you're a person before sex, they won't think you're one after."
and CleanReader made it:
"If they don't think you're a person before love, they won't think you're one after."
Also apparenlty "breast" is a dirty word.
Women can chest-feed, and you can order a chicken chest sandwich.
TheBoost said:
Also apparenlty "breast" is a dirty word.
Women can chest-feed, and you can order a chicken chest sandwich.
SilverWook said:
What's the point of a war movie that is scrubbed of the very reasons war is a horrible nasty thing? That would be like Titanic where there's enough lifeboats for everyone. Oh wait, somebody actually did do that...
I found war plenty horrific with a PG-13 version of Private Ryan.
I don't care for people who curse loudly and in public, either. (And my Dad swore like the sailor he was. I curse quite a bit when nobody is around.) But you can usually avoid a book or movie if there's questionable content. Ratings these days are so detailed, they practically give away plot points.
Books don't have ratings of course, but reviews can probably clue one in as to content.
This is true, but there have been many movies and books that I've wanted to watch or read that I ultimately chose not to for certain content. It's nice to have the option. Even studios release censored versions of their films for TV and airplanes (like the Wally Wick in Ghostbusters).
Fan edits are like dance remixes. They require a certain amount of creativity and passion that's lacking in something merely being edited to appeal to a segment of the audience who can't even handle the mild profanity allowed in G rated films. Anybody can censor a movie. You don't even need a pair of scissors these days.
Is not editing normally done to suit personal preference? Why can't a preference for no sex be just as valid as a preference for no "I hate sand" lines? I don't necessarily need a G rated version. I often would like something just a little more dignified.
This app would be more fun if you could at least replace the dirty words with suitable replacements, like kumquat, but it would probably censor that as well. ;)
This is true! In reality, it would be nice if there is some tailoring permitted, like a "G version" vs. a "PG version" of the book or something.
TheBoost said:
SilverWook said:
This app would be more fun if you could at least replace the dirty words with suitable replacements, like kumquat, but it would probably censor that as well. ;)
I read an example online. The real book read:
"If they don't think you're a person before sex, they won't think you're one after."
and CleanReader made it:
"If they don't think you're a person before love, they won't think you're one after."
Also apparenlty "breast" is a dirty word.
Women can chest-feed, and you can order a chicken chest sandwich.
So throw it all out! If it can't get it right every time, I want nothing to do with it!
I admit, it would be humorous and will likely censor unnecessarily, but removing certain words wouldn't offend me at all. Like I said, it would be nice to have some setting preferences.
SilverWook said:
This app will probably only appeal to people who want the world sanitized for their protection. (And those who like to control what others read.) If you can't handle a few swear words in print, you might want to rethink why you're reading certain things.
It's as dumb as those video stores and companies that censored the movies they sold.
People have tried to remove books from library shelves because of language, no matter the context in which it's used. Now you don't even have to engage in the tiring chore of finding naughty words, a computer can do it for you!
This. I can't even believe this is a real thing.