Sideloading?

[Quoth]

Is Sideloading a misleading and pejorative term that is of advantage to Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft?

See https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/...open_movement/

"It bears reminding that 'sideload' is a made-up term. Putting software on your computer is simply called 'installing,' regardless of whether that computer is in your pocket or on your desk."

Both Google and Apple [PDF] use the term "sideloading" as a pejorative, possibly because they have a commercial interest in running app store toll booths.

Prud'hommeaux proposes the term "direct installing," in case you need to make a distinction between obtaining software the old-fashioned way versus going through a rent-seeking intermediary marketplace like the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.

He's talking about apps, but it applies to content too. Apple makes it difficult to copy your own content directly to iOS and if you do copy directly the content only works with third party apps, not with the stock apps, so a reset iPhone or iPad too old to get apps from the store can only load mp3s via iTunes app on Windows 7 or later etc. Not on Linux even though the files can be copied on Linux.

Google's proposal brings Android closer to totally walled garden concept of iOS.

[Aleron Ives]

You can't "install" a book, though. You merely copy it to the internal storage.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

You can't "install" a book, though. You merely copy it to the internal storage.

True, but maybe we shouldn't call it sideloading as if less valid than an ebook bought from the shop of the ereader's brand.

[DiapDealer]

I see no reason to believe the term "sideloading" is used pejoratively. Not to mention what it's called being completely irrelevant to whether or not it's getting harder to do. A new term is unneeded (and would never be embraced at this point anyway).

[issybird]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I see no reason to believe the term "sideloading" is used pejoratively. Not to mention what it's called being completely irrelevant to whether or not it's getting harder to do. A new term is unneeded (and would never be embraced at this point anyway).

Well, I did laugh at the juxtaposition of this post and your signature!

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I see no reason to believe the term "sideloading" is used pejoratively. Not to mention what it's called being completely irrelevant to whether or not it's getting harder to do. A new term is unneeded (and would never be embraced at this point anyway).

But sideload is itself an unneeded "new" term that provides no improvement over copy, upload, or download.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by issybird

Well, I did laugh at the juxtaposition of this post and your signature!

Ha!

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

But sideload is itself an unneeded "new" term that provides no improvement over copy, upload, or download.

It doesn't matter. Sideload is the term. Nobody's going to be able to unring the bell at this point. Game over. People should just get used to it. There will be no "fixing" it.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

You can't "install" a book, though. You merely copy it to the internal storage.

But for a large number of users, they use the wrong/incorrect terms everyday.

"download a web page", when usually, they are just viewing. (under the covers, it is downloaded, just to a temp area for processing).
Every connection is WiFi (even cellular data)
'Install' could include unpacking an outer Zip. Retrieving a DRM infested book using the ASCM 'token' .

I do prefer the words Copy or Transfer

(Transfer Load, Transfer Save )

[j.p.s]

Oh, I've finally become used to it, like backlight for frontlight, when just plain light would be fine, but it is still just as stupid and still rubs me the wrong way.

[jackm8]

It's new, so it's better. That's the whole marketing logic behind it. If Cloud was named a Server, it'd not have the same effect as it did advertisement wise. It may also be legal machination, though. They could define sideloading as a different operation in TOC, compared to uploading or downloading.

[Graham44]

Direct transfer instead?

'I direct transfer my books from Calibre to my Kobo'



You could even give it cool and hip abbreviation:

'I DT my books from Calibre to my Kobo'

Although people may misunderstand DT

[j.p.s]

Is the problem with copy that it is too easy to understand?

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Is the problem with copy that it is too easy to understand?

Yes.

Also sideloading is regarded by Amazon, Apple, Google etc as ANY method involving any kind of content they are not delivering.

So WiFi to your own content library is "Sideloading" by their definition.

Sideloading is a made up EXTRA unneeded term I never heard before 2017. I'd been copying programs or content to portable gadgets (not supplied by gadget brand) since about 1985, smart phone since 2001, and Kindle since 2013 (initially about 99% of my Kindle content was from Gutenberg or my own). I bought the kindle to read Gutenberg content which I'd been downloading to read on laptop since about 2000.

Don't be defeatist. Call it what it is: Copying, not sideloading.

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Oh, I've finally become used to it, like backlight for frontlight, when just plain light would be fine, but it is still just as stupid and still rubs me the wrong way.

You and me both! It bugs me like when sports fans now use "turf" to mean the artificial stuff instead of sod. Totally illogical, but impossible to fight.