Answers.Body: <p>I do not think that there is any measure to stop you. Maybe except for the fear that you end up bricking the device by not being able to connect to it from your PC. </p>
  
  <p>I do however not see a reason to do this. The only alternative firmware that I know of is <a href="http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150175" rel="nofollow">Duokan</a>, which works fine in dualboot. So there is no need to remove the original system.</p>
  
  <p>Also since the Kindle is already running a Linux (without an X server though). So you could just install the programs you want without having the trouble of missing drivers etc.</p>
  
  <p>So all in all it should be possible and I do not think anything would stop you. But lacking any alternative options, I do not see why one should do it.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-27T14:25:23.453Z
Answers.Text: One reason for doing it would be [The answers to this question](http://ebooks.stackexchange.com/questions/190/what-information-does-my-kindle-share-with-amazon)
Answers.UserDisplayName: James Jenkins
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-27T14:35:30.847Z
Answers.Text: @JamesJenkins True, but you would be fine with just installing Duokan and not booting the original system. I think really removing the original system has far more disadvantages. I would not trade the possibility to repair the system in case of problems for a few additional MB of additional space.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tim
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-03-09T20:29:04.970Z
Answers.Text: One nitpick, the Kindle **does** use an X server (and the [awesome](http://awesome.naquadah.org/) window manager).
Answers.UserDisplayName: Thedward
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-27T13:54:28.627Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-01-27T13:54:28.627Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tim
Answers.Body: <p>I am pretty sure that altering the software running on a Kindle device is a violation of the Kindle Terms of Service, in particular the "Additional Amazon Software Terms" part: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=footer_cou?ie=UTF8&amp;nodeId=508088#GUID-45366177-ACDC-4474-9D20-9B8E71933D9C__OL_658C4FBD43F046EB89C79D68049816DD" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=footer_cou?ie=UTF8&amp;nodeId=508088#GUID-45366177-ACDC-4474-9D20-9B8E71933D9C__OL_658C4FBD43F046EB89C79D68049816DD</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-30T23:18:42.517Z
Answers.Text: As best I can tell, that only address modification to the Amazon software, I don't see any restrictions on using a 3rd party software, did I miss something?
Answers.UserDisplayName: James Jenkins
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-30T23:26:38.790Z
Answers.Text: I think that "full OS replacement" and "reformatting my kindle" imply removing the Amazon one, which is forbidden by the above ToS. Maybe sideloading another OS is not.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Alberto Pettarin
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-31T08:44:56.977Z
Answers.Text: @AlbertoPettarin I really doubt that removing software is altering it. Steam's [subscriber agreement](http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/) also states that it is forbidden (among other things) to "modify [...]  the Software or any software accessed via Steam without the prior consent". Following your logic it would be illegal to uninstall Steam without asking Valve for permission.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tim
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-31T09:07:41.750Z
Answers.Text: To make clearer what the ToS state: The Kindle Keyboard browser allows you to download `.mobi` and `.azw`, but not `.pdf`. It would be forbidden to modify Amazon's browser in a way that allows you to change to download `.pdf` files as well. It does not forbid installing a [daemon](http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121008) that scans the browser's logfiles for files that have not been downloaded due to these restriction and downloads those for you.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tim
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-30T21:47:04.937Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-01-30T21:47:04.937Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Alberto Pettarin
Body: <p>If you purchase a new PC, it comes preloaded with some software, this is mostly just a convenience. You could reformat the drive, remove all the windows software and load <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux">Linux</a> or similar software, as your <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system">operating system</a>.</p>
  
  <p>An ereader is essentially a computer built to specialize for the specific task of reading.  In theory the same rules would apply.  Is there anything preventing my from reformatting my kindle and installing an operation system that is not an Amazon product?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-01-30T22:31:51.443Z
Comments.Text: possibly a duplicate of this ebooks.stackexchange.com/questions/196/are-there-any-free-open-source-custom-firmwares-for-e-ink-devices
Comments.UserDisplayName: Sekhemty
Tags: <kindle><operating-system>
Title: Can I use a third party software as a full OS replacement on a Kindle Keyboard?
UserDisplayName: James Jenkins
ThreadText: # Can I use a third party software as a full OS replacement on a Kindle Keyboard?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-27)
  
  If you purchase a new PC, it comes preloaded with some software, this is mostly just a convenience. You could reformat the drive, remove all the windows software and load [Linux](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux) or similar software, as your [operating system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system).
  
  An ereader is essentially a computer built to specialize for the specific task of reading. In theory the same rules would apply. Is there anything preventing my from reformatting my kindle and installing an operation system that is not an Amazon product?
  
  **Tags:** kindle, operating-system
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: possibly a duplicate of this ebooks.stackexchange.com/questions/196/are-there-any-free-open-source-custom-firmwares-for-e-ink-devices  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2014-01-27. Score: 4
  
  I do not think that there is any measure to stop you. Maybe except for the fear that you end up bricking the device by not being able to connect to it from your PC.
  
  I do however not see a reason to do this. The only alternative firmware that I know of is [Duokan](http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150175), which works fine in dualboot. So there is no need to remove the original system.
  
  Also since the Kindle is already running a Linux (without an X server though). So you could just install the programs you want without having the trouble of missing drivers etc.
  
  So all in all it should be possible and I do not think anything would stop you. But lacking any alternative options, I do not see why one should do it.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: One reason for doing it would be [The answers to this question](http://ebooks.stackexchange.com/questions/190/what-information-does-my-kindle-share-with-amazon)  
  > **username_2**: @username_0 True, but you would be fine with just installing Duokan and not booting the original system. I think really removing the original system has far more disadvantages. I would not trade the possibility to repair the system in case of problems for a few additional MB of additional space.  
  > **username_3**: One nitpick, the Kindle **does** use an X server (and the [awesome](http://awesome.naquadah.org/) window manager).  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2014-01-30. Score: 0
  
  I am pretty sure that altering the software running on a Kindle device is a violation of the Kindle Terms of Service, in particular the "Additional Amazon Software Terms" part: <http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=footer_cou?ie=UTF8&nodeId=508088#GUID-45366177-ACDC-4474-9D20-9B8E71933D9C__OL_658C4FBD43F046EB89C79D68049816DD>
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: As best I can tell, that only address modification to the Amazon software, I don't see any restrictions on using a 3rd party software, did I miss something?  
  > **username_4**: I think that "full OS replacement" and "reformatting my kindle" imply removing the Amazon one, which is forbidden by the above ToS. Maybe sideloading another OS is not.  
  > **username_2**: @username_4 I really doubt that removing software is altering it. Steam's [subscriber agreement](http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/) also states that it is forbidden (among other things) to "modify [...]  the Software or any software accessed via Steam without the prior consent". Following your logic it would be illegal to uninstall Steam without asking Valve for permission.  
  > **username_2**: To make clearer what the ToS state: The Kindle Keyboard browser allows you to download `.mobi` and `.azw`, but not `.pdf`. It would be forbidden to modify Amazon's browser in a way that allows you to change to download `.pdf` files as well. It does not forbid installing a [daemon](http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121008) that scans the browser's logfiles for files that have not been downloaded due to these restriction and downloads those for you.  
  
  ---
  
  