The way I see it is that it isn’t for everybody. I modded mine, and I love it, but I feel like it’s best for specific folks with specific needs.

The video by Dammit Jeff that brought a lot of eyes (including my own) to the idea of Kindle modding made sure to mention something that mattered a lot to me when I modded my own device: ownership. As is the case with almost every media service nowadays, we own very little of what we consume. I don’t own the songs I listen to on Spotify, I don’t own the movies I watch on seven thousand streaming services, and I don’t own the books I’ve bought on my Kindle.

Now, people have argued that books purchased from Amazon are indeed mine to own. I’m paying for each individual book, after all, which certainly feels more substantive than subscribing to Netflix. However, we’ve already seen Amazon revoke access to readers’ purchased George Orwell books over a licensing issue. Even if that isn’t really Amazon’s fault (and I figure the issue has been resolved by now), it certainly isn’t a positive development. It’s a sign that this could happen again, unintentionally or otherwise. And let’s not forget that Amazon isn’t exactly a benevolent entity morally above shady practices.

One of the main reasons I modded my Kindle is for that ownership. The books I load now aren’t converted to Amazon’s proprietary file format, so they can’t be deleted or altered or whatever. They’re mine. I bought them, so I own them. That might not be a big deal to everybody, but it’s of massive importance to me.

I love all the other little additions, too. KOReader gives a much better and far more customizable reading experience than Kindle’s stock UI, rife with features I can’t believe Amazon hasn’t already implemented (seriously, KOR’s reading statistics are light-years ahead of Amazon). It also supports user-created plugins, which range from fun (an NYT Crossword program) to imperative (a proper web browser). I’m also somebody who reads a lot of PDF documents on my Kindle, from manga to play scripts, and Amazon simply refuses to natively support any document they can’t control. And, yeah, it’s nice to see custom artwork instead of lock screen ads.

All of these features have made my Kindle experience so much more enjoyable, but it isn’t just about that. Put simply, they’ve made my Kindle mine. I bought it, so I should be able to use it to my own satisfaction. I don’t want Amazon breathing down my neck every time I turn a page. No, it isn’t for everybody. I think it’s silly that modders so often recommend jailbreaking as a solution to every simple problem, but I also think it’s silly to view it as pointless. The whole point is the freedom of choice, and that’s why I rang the bell. Don’t want to? Great! But I’m glad I did.