[johnnyb]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Cloud services would not work the way that's wanted. All the cloud services would do it is allow syncing of the reading positions and annotations/highlights/bookmarks. The reading stats would not get highlighted and would not transfer over to a new device. So that would not work.

Only if Kobo does not implement that feature. There is really nothing stopping them.

Originally Posted by compurandom

The problem is that I have a large side loaded book library, and I just don't want or need some third party scanning my whole library and saving it in the cloud.

Did you actually read my post? There is absolutely nothing stopping Kobo from doing it like Amazon, Tolino or Pocketbook and make the cloud service optional. No cloud service enabled? No scanning your whole library and saving it to the cloud.

Originally Posted by davidfor

One in three of the ereaders that offer a cloud service does what I described - synced sideloaded books. With the option that I wanted, so that's good, but I bet it's enabled by default. That does mean that my suggestion as to what "proper cloud services" meant isn't absurd.

Actually, if you are talking about Pocketbook or Tolino: On both systems, the cloud service is not enabled by default and needs separate registration. Upon enabling it, you have to scan your library. After that, Pocketbooks automatically uploads books added to the device, Tolino upon request.
And even if that weren’t the case: There is absolutely nothing stopping Kobo from doing just that: Offering a cloud service that gives users the choice. Those that want max privacy can entirely refrain from using it, while others who do not want to jump through all the hoops of saving their status and annotations to a computer (and feel safer saving to the cloud, for example, on vacation, where there’s no computer around) are offered an easy solution.
Of course, offering such a solution means that the manufacturer of the device has to be comfortable with 1. writing stable code that allows such a service to function properly (Kobo perhaps isn’t) and 2. that users will still spend most of their money on the manufacturer‘s built in store, even though they are given the choice while not losing the convenience (Kobo perhaps isn’t).

To all of you protesting: Only because “cloud service” could imply to mean “total invasion of privacy” does not mean that it necessarily has to be so. It could also simply be a convenient tool to conserve work and time put into reading and making it easy to switch models.