To sync or not to sync

[issybird]

Posts relating to sync have been moved (obviously).

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by dmapr

Sorry, haven't installed 4.12 yet. Are you saying they took out the Wi-Fi checkbox? That's the one I use on my Kobo to turn off all syncing (permanently) and I have to say it works extremely well. I haven't noticed any unexpected syncing happening at all.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by JeanPierre

The key words here being "To me". There are other reasons for using the wifi connection other than syncing, and other users make use of them. This argument is nonsense unless you're a solipsist. Syncing as a consequence of turning on wifi is a side-effect, not an explicit invocation. An explicit invocation of sync is pressing the sync button only.

I realize others have a different expectations. That's why I made a specific point of saying "to me." If I didn't want my Kobo syncing at all, I'd turn off wifi and use another device for Google, etc. As I said, I see being able to do those other things on the reader itself as a side benefit of leaving wifi on. The main reason I leave wifi on is to keep everything in sync.

I'm not arguing that you should feel the same. You seemed to be curious what other people were thinking so I was sharing my thoughts.

Originally Posted by JeanPierre

By this rationale you shouldn't be surprised to learn that a device with a wifi radio called back home even with wifi off then. You appear to be indifferent in attitude to your devices sharing information without your knowledge or consent. Your personal indifference to it doesn't make it sound design (to ignore any ethical or legal dimensions completely).

I would be really annoyed if wifi turned on by itself. But when I have it on, I'm okay with it syncing up my Kobo, Pocket, Overdrive accounts, etc. I don't want it doing anything with Facebook so I don't have that account linked.

I'm not indifferent to the possibility of info going out to the internet through wifi connections. I definitely think twice about any device I give internet access. Because even if there were an option to turn off Kobo's syncing and leave wifi on, I'd wouldn't be surprised to read the fine print and learn that some anonymized info was still being collected.

[Ken Maltby]

You know that there has always been the option to change the link references in the "User" section of the kobo data base? Also there was a patch you could do to disable "Google Analytics".

Luck;
Ken

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

You know that there has always been the option to change the link references in the "User" section of the kobo data base? Also there was a patch you could do to disable "Google Analytics".

And there is an option in the privacy settings to do this as well. Unfortunately, it also turns of the local stats collection, so you don't get anything on the "Activity" page.

My Kobo Utilities also has an option to add a trigger to prevent some of the analytics from being collected. But, I'm pretty sure those go to Kobo.

The Google Analytic seem to be stored in the file "Analytics.conf" in the directory ".kobo/Kobo". Replacing that with a directory might block them. There was some discussion on this a long time ago, but I don't remember the outcome.

[compurandom]

I thought there was a firmware patch that would turn off the firmware update sync, but I haven't tried it, and I already have the latest firmware.

The only real thing that annoys me with the sync is that it never seems to stop until either my battery is dead or I reboot the device. *sometimes* it stops trying to sync when I turn off wifi, but 2/3 times a sync that started when wifi was on will continue after it is turned off.

Also, whatever background sync it's doing seems to block pocket from syncing. I have to turn off wifi, wait a few minutes for the sync to abort, turn it back on, tell pocket to sync, and then it syncs immediately; otherwise I wait forever and pocket won't sync because of the stuck background sync.

[lkmiller]

I remember quite a while ago I had a problem with my Aura One getting stuck on its overnight full sync. I figured out that it was a problem with Overdrive. It had me signed out but was still trying to check for library books. Once I signed back in, syncing worked fine.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by compurandom

I thought there was a firmware patch that would turn off the firmware update sync, but I haven't tried it, and I already have the latest firmware.

There is and it have been installed in all my Kobo ereaders since it appeared (a lot of time ago).

[Quoth]

The only use I have for WiFi is to look up Wikipedia or google for a word or phrase in a book.
I have nothing at all that needs Sync: NO Overdrive, Kobo Library, Kobo app or other Kobo device. Sync should ONLY sync stuff. Kobo would know my device account has no related Kobo Library, Kobo app or other Kobo eReader, so therefore any SYNC related to Kobo is wrong.
I've no idea how Overdrive works, it's for libraries? The libraries here (this part of Ireland) don't have eBooks at all and audio books are on CD.

[Question Mark]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

I consider turning on wifi an "explicit invocation" for any device to keep itself up-to-date. To me, that's the main reason for an ereader to have wifi. Being able to check Google or Wikipedia is a side benefit.

To be an "explicit invocation", shouldn't the behaviour be explicitly stated?

Certainly, I'm glad that one of my tablets running Android 4.2.2 doesn't automatically update itself.

For years, it has been telling me that there is a system update available. An update that will take away the ability to write files to the external SD card and which will be irreversible even after doing a factory reset.

And, thankfully, Google allows me to turn off automatic updates of apps. I got very tired of apps updating themselves and then becoming unusable on a tablet with an even older version of Android. It was a nuisance to then have to go and find older versions of the apps and sideload them to get them working again. Since disabling the automatic updates, I can manually choose which apps I want to update and which I want to leave forever as-is.

As for my two Kobos, I never turn on wifi because I do not want to have them updated to the latest firmware. I've got each set up to my preferences, and will leave that way until the end of time. Or until Kobo provides some new feature which I can't do without.

Choice is a good thing because we all have different needs. Limiting choice unnecessarily is unfortunate. But, fortunately, Kobo does leave backdoor solutions to problems open, and, fortunately, many on these forums are very helpful in sharing their knowledge.

One day, I may get around to applying the spoken of patch. Until then, if I want to surf the web on an eink ereader I will use my Onyx Note which makes for a much more pleasurable experience in that regard.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by FrustratedReader

The only use I have for WiFi is to look up Wikipedia or google for a word or phrase in a book.
I have nothing at all that needs Sync: NO Overdrive, Kobo Library, Kobo app or other Kobo device. Sync should ONLY sync stuff. Kobo would know my device account has no related Kobo Library, Kobo app or other Kobo eReader, so therefore any SYNC related to Kobo is wrong.
I've no idea how Overdrive works, it's for libraries? The libraries here (this part of Ireland) don't have eBooks at all and audio books are on CD.

Yes, the Kobo server knows that you don't have these things. But, how does the device know this until it tries to sync and finds nothing? If you decided to buy a book from Kobo, rather than the crappily formatted books from Smashwords, you would be screaming at the top of your voice that Kobo was crap because they didn't send the book to the device. And please, don't attempt to deny that.

And the sync is finding updates to firmware and dictionaries. And no matter what you think, that is a valid thing to do during the sync.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Question Mark

To be an "explicit invocation", shouldn't the behaviour be explicitly stated?

By that statement, I assume you have never read the manual. The only instructions for turning on WiFi are to do a sync.

Certainly, I'm glad that one of my tablets running Android 4.2.2 doesn't automatically update itself.

The lack of choice for updating Kobo devices is a problem. You will generally get a now-or-later prompt, but, that is just delaying until the next time you connect to a PC. There should at least be a "Remind me later" option before the download.

But, I also understand Kobo's desire not to support a lot of firmware versions. Both for support and supporting API versions in the servers. Actively encouraging taking updates makes sense to them or any developer.

[JeanPierre]

Originally Posted by davidfor

By that statement, I assume you have never read the manual. The only instructions for turning on WiFi are to do a sync.

That still doesn't make turning on wifi an explicit invocation of sync.

An explicit invocation of sync would be pressing the sync button from the menu. This works both ways: pressing the sync button from the menu is also not an explicit invocation of turning on wifi, which it prompts you to do before initiating a sync.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by JeanPierre

That still doesn't make turning on wifi an explicit invocation of sync.

An explicit invocation of sync would be pressing the sync button from the menu. This works both ways: pressing the sync button from the menu is also not an explicit invocation of turning on wifi, which it prompts you to do before initiating a sync.

Actually, I misunderstood what you were talking about. I took it as "connecting to WiFi", not explicitly turning it on. But, even then, manual says to turn on WiFi and then tap sync to actually connect. It doesn't explicitly state a sync will be done, but the only mention of WiFi is related to syncing. That has probably changed and the manual needs to be updated a little bit.

But, the reason these devices have WiFi is for syncing of books from the store. That is what the manufacturer of the device has designed it for. They have taken advantage of this to add the browser (still a beta feature after how many years?) and Google and Wikipedia lookup, but those are secondary features. Or of even lower importance. None of the other uses of the WiFi are mentioned in the specs or in the manual. Hence, the reason to have WiFi on is to sync. And doing a sync when WiFi gets turned on makes sense.

And of course, the function of any device is up to the manufacturer. If you want to use it in some other way, then you have put up with the restrictions placed on it by the manufacturer, or convince them to change things. Or, get a different device.

The sync is working as designed. Just not how you want it to work.

[Quoth]

The sync is working as designed

In your opinion, unless you work for Kobo.
You make a lot of Kobo friendly assumptions.
In reality if Kobo had retailed this to me direct they would be breaking SOGO in EU as they have changed and damaged functionality of my property after I bought it. Without permission.
I'm sceptical that Kobo is GDPR compliant any way.