I think you’re misreading the publishers, Patrick-- I haven’t seen any of them proposing "windowing", except as a retaliatory move against Amazon
You're incorrect. From the horse's mouth:
This past Thursday I [John Sargent, from Macmilla]n met with Amazon in Seattle. I gave them our proposal for new terms of sale for e books under the agency model which will become effective in early March. In addition, I told them they could stay with their old terms of sale [i.e. the ones where Amazon acts as a wholesaler and can set prices], but that this would involve extensive and deep windowing of titles.
The windowing only would apply to the "old terms of sale", where Amazon can arbitrarily set the prices. Macmillan wants new terms, with prices to be set according to a sliding scale.
"Windowing" is being used as a threat here, to push Amazon to the new terms-- it's not what Macmillan wants. (Amazon in turn retaliated by opening the ultimate window-- delisting Macmillan altogether.)
You're incorrect. From the horse's mouth:
This past Thursday I [John Sargent, from Macmilla]n met with Amazon in Seattle. I gave them our proposal for new terms of sale for e books under the agency model which will become effective in early March. In addition, I told them they could stay with their old terms of sale [i.e. the ones where Amazon acts as a wholesaler and can set prices], but that this would involve extensive and deep windowing of titles.