Regarding Amazon

I'm on another site, called Goodreads, and they are a book site that sometimes has users enter books via ASIN numbers from Amazon. However, Amazon had given the site until Jan. 30th to remove every single item that has ever used any of their ASIN numbers, or other numbers, to enter into the Goodreads Database. I'm wondering if this site will be met with the same fate.

Goodreads luckily has this short time to ask uses to just confirm the items they have that had ASIN numbers used and once it's confirmed I own the book then it will stay on the site. Pain in the ass though. Not sure if this is SOPA related or if it's just Amazon covering their ass. Might be both though.

I don't understand this at all. The whole thing is so bizarre because what harm is using an ASIN to find a book??

Would it be simpler just to us ISBNs for all books, DVD's and CDs on all websites? Why does Amazon have to use its own identification system at all?

I didn't see anything on the Goodreads site about Amazon banning the usage of ASIN numbers. I could simply be missing the message.

What is complicated from the perspective of cataloging books is that Amazon uses ASIN numbers for various Kindle products. So "Book Title" might have one unique ISBN number but multiple variations of "Book Title" #1 #2 #3 as Amazon will cut up some novels into mini-novels for their Kindle products. So, from a librarian perspective this is not a valid form of classification.

From what I have read on the Goodreads site that was the reason for dumping ASIN classification, is that it was creating a ton of multiple instances of the same book and chopping up whole novels into mini-books.

I don't think Amazon downgrading their ASIN classification system to something more suitable for the mass market is something that would hinder Listal.

There has been a suggestion to merge copies of books on Listal to just one copy but it doesn't have many votes (last time I checked).

But who knows... maybe Tom has some hateful email in his inbox from Amazon about how Listal isn't pimping Kindle products in a suitable manner.

For most books ASIN = ISBN, although probably not for kindle books. Do you have a link to a page where it says they have until the 30th to remove books? because it seems a very odd request.

Thanks for the replies. More I read about it though I think it looks like it's just a choice Goodreads is making on their part. I don't have a link because you'd need to see my logged in page but here's what it says:
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At Goodreads, we make it a priority to use book information from the most reliable and open data sources, because it helps us build the best experience for our members. To that end, we're making a major change.
On January 30, Goodreads will no longer display book information that comes from Amazon.
This includes data such as titles, author names, page counts, and publication dates. For the vast majority of book editions, we have imported this data from other sources. Those few remaining editions for which we haven't found an alternative source of information will be removed from Goodreads.
Your data is safe.
Your ratings, reviews, and bookshelves are safe, but your data may be moved to a different edition of the book. If we can't find a matching edition, then your review will be attached to a book with no title or author.
Luckily, you can help us find alternate sources for book editions.

Here's what to do:
If you have a physical or ebook copy of this book, go get it. It will make finding information much easier.
If you don't have a physical copy of this book, the best place to grab the information is from the publisher or author's website, but any trustworthy independent website that isn't a bookseller will suffice. (Library sites, public wikis, isbndb, etc).

IMPORTANT: Do not use Amazon's information to rescue books.

Thanks for posting that, will investigate further