[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Odessa

So it does track non-Kobo books ? Is that only done locally, by the Libra's software, or is it done on the server ?

What I want to avoid is an Amazon-like situation, where Amazon (not only the Kindle) knows what parts of a book you have highlighted, can lock you out of your books if it bans your account, etc.

Kobo knows nothing about your sideloaded books. There is some usage tracking but, my understanding is that it tracking how you use the device without necessarily tracking what actual books you are reading. This reporting can be turned off in the settings. And if you never connect via WiFi, it won't be uploaded to Kobo.

Because in order to read DRM-protected books, even free ones, or to read borrowed books, one has to install Adobe Digital Editions, open an Adobe account, and register one's PC and Kobo reader with Adobe. Which is known to have very privacy-hostile habits.

If you are buying from Kobo, you can stay away from ADE by using the kepub that is downloaded to the device or via the desktop application. If you are getting DRM protected elsewhere, you will probably need ADE.

So if I use Calibre and the relevant plug-ins, any book, including .kepubs, can be converted into an ordinary .epub not dependent on any user account or link to vendor ?

Calibre, with the right plugins, can convert any DRM free book between the supported formats. That include kepubs.

Yes, I saw that. However, this does not just sign out of the account. It seems to reset completely the Libra. You then need to re-type the Wifi password, probably do something to connect the account again (I don't remember, and it's so annoying I don't want to do it all over again just to check), and it also seems to reset all settings to default.

In fact, it seems "signing out of the account" prevents you from using the Libra at all. You have to re-do all the set-up from the start before you can read anything.

That is correct. The Kobo devices need to be setup to work using their software.

Also, "signing out of the account" seems to do something different according to whether it's done on the Libra, on Kobo Desktop or in the account itself through a browser.

Doing it through the browser seems to just, well, disconnect from the account. That's expected behaviour.

Trying to do it from Kobo Desktop, however, you get a warning asking you : are you sure, this will delete all highlightings from all your books. Which nobody would want, obviously.

And doing it from the Libra does a third, different set of things, nuking the whole device.

Do you confirm that's indeed how it works ?

When you sign out of the account on the device or the desktop application, it removes all the account related information from the device or PC. It deletes the books and any settings. When you sign out of the account in the browser, it is doing the same thing but, in the context of the browser. It doesn't do anything with the account. Kobo still has all the details they collected and the books you bought from them. You have just severed the links between the computer or device and Kobo.

If you want to get rid of the account, there is a "Deactivate Account" button in the account settings in the store.

Is it possible to use a Libra while having a Kobo account, but not being connected to it ? What would the consequences be ?

What are the consequences of using a Libra without a Kobo account (if at all possible) ?

If I now go into my Kobo account through a browser, and delete the account (which seems to be the only way to do it), what would the consequences be ?

That should delete the account, remove your access to any books. Anything signed into that account should then stop having access. I would hope that the next time the device tried to sync, it would sign the device out of the account an trigger the setup. But, I don't know as I have no need, or desire for that matter, to actually do this.