What's with the Paranoia?

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But to organize your books, you do need to be registered. That's how Readers work. So why not register? You don't have to use the account for anything else if you don't want.

Many people use calibre to fully organize their collections. When I only used my Kobo libra, I only bought a handful of books directly from their store, everything else was done via calibre.

[crossi]

I don't need to be registered to make a collection with a kindle. I make, name and add books to my collection directly in my kindle as I finish each book. I did make collections in Amazon's website but I simply haven't actually downloaded those into my current kindle. Maybe if I buy a new one I'll download the web collections or maybe not because the books there don't have the right names. And unfortunately I don't think I can use Calibre's collections in my kindle. I wish I could. But if I could use Calibre's collections I really wouldn't need to be registered. Actually the main use for registering just long enough to register my kindle and then resetting it to factory is so Amazon can download the books with the right DRM key to be cleaned to my computer. I really hated having pages and pages of book listings in my archive all with wrong names and not even organized in the way I wanted them. It would double the number of pages in my home page. First the side loaded and renamed books then the book names as named by Amazon that they think are not in my kindle but really are.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by crossi

I don't need to be registered to make a collection with a kindle. I make, name and add books to my collection directly in my kindle as I finish each book. I did make collections in Amazon's website but I simply haven't actually downloaded those into my current kindle. Maybe if I buy a new one I'll download the web collections or maybe not because the books there don't have the right names. And unfortunately I don't think I can use Calibre's collections in my kindle. I wish I could. But if I could use Calibre's collections I really wouldn't need to be registered. Actually the main use for registering just long enough to register my kindle and then resetting it to factory is so Amazon can download the books with the right DRM key to be cleaned to my computer. I really hated having pages and pages of book listings in my archive all with wrong names and not even organized in the way I wanted them. It would double the number of pages in my home page. First the side loaded and renamed books then the book names as named by Amazon that they think are not in my kindle but really are.

Hmmm...that's odd--as far as I know, your Kindle needs to be registered in order to use the collections feature. Unless maybe your Kindle is jailbroken? Although you mention that you can't use Calibre to create and manage collections, which would indicate that your device *isn't* jailbroken.

Shari

[crossi]

It's an old kindle keyboard. The software might be different than the newer kindles. I just move the curser to the book, r click and get an option to add to collection and if I need a new collection I move the curser to the bottom of the page where there is an option to name a new collection.

Not jailbroken. I've never needed that for anything I wanted.

[hildea]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

So why the paranoia? What's the reason for it?

If you want answers from many people, you might consider not insulting the people you are asking.

[haertig]

I don't register at places unless I absolutely have to, because I don't want to be a data collection point and unwitting advertising billboard for those companies. Like this:

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by haertig

I don't register at places unless I absolutely have to, because I don't want to be a data collection point and unwitting advertising billboard for those companies. Like this:

I have an account with Kobo. I have an account with Amazon. I have a registered Kobo and Kindle. I keep WiFi off most of the time. I do not sync. I have no problem being registered to both stores. It means I can get the full use out of my devices.

Thing is, if you don't want to risk giving Kobo, Amazon, B&N, etc any data, just register properly and keep WiFi off. You don't need it on to be able to side load with Calibre. You can still buy eBooks from any shop you want or get them from the library.

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by Apache

It is not paranoia if they are really out to get you.
Apache

An old one but a goodie.

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by crossi

I don't register because I don't want my archive full. I don't use it. All my books are sideloaded and mostly renamed. So I have no need of an archive full of book listings that don't match the book names in my collections. I keep all my books in my reader for convenience. I've got ~1200 books in about 10 pages of collections which is easily managed so I don't need or want the archive. I also don't use search, notes or syncing. Why would I need it registered? It isn't paranoia I just don't want the "features" which simply annoy me. Gah, give me a reader without all those bells and whistles. I just want to read and organize my books the way I want them organized. Nothing else.

Well said sah!

[barryem]

I've been seeing people concerned about registering and getting their data collected ever since I began reading Kindle forums. It's nothing new and it doesn't seem to be increasing a far as I can tell.

It's not an issue I care about but if people are willing to give up a few features to get more privacy I have no problem with that.

Barry

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by crossi

I don't register because I don't want my archive full. I don't use it. All my books are sideloaded and mostly renamed. So I have no need of an archive full of book listings that don't match the book names in my collections.

How many books does it take to make your archive full? I didn't even realise that was possible.

[eeeink]

When you register with Amazon or Kobo, you give them explicit permission to create a profile of you and use that to send you ads, or to send that information to other companies so that they can send you ads or make predictions about your behavior. This can then be used by anyone who has the money to purchase that information. Insurance companies, credit companies, lending houses. You say "just leave WiFi off" but that's not the point -- any time you then turn WiFi on again to get updates, etc, all that data gets uploaded to their system.

And you make that trade-off -- of giving your behavioral data -- when you purchase ebooks from those companies as well.

My reading habits, including which books I read and how often, are my business. They are not anyone else's business unless I choose to share that information with them. Until these companies came along nobody felt the need to justify their privacy, and I don't feel the need to justify it now. I don't live stream my bathroom usage for the world to see, nor do I disclose what color underwear I'm wearing. Privacy is a fundamental human right, and these companies are trying to take it away for their profit. Well, fuck that.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by eeeink

When you register with Amazon or Kobo, you give them explicit permission to create a profile of you and use that to send you ads, or to send that information to other companies so that they can send you ads or make predictions about your behavior. This can then be used by anyone who has the money to purchase that information. Insurance companies, credit companies, lending houses. You say "just leave WiFi off" but that's not the point -- any time you then turn WiFi on again to get updates, etc, all that data gets uploaded to their system.

I have my Kobos registered to me. A friend has his Kobos registered but since Kobo does not check the email address and does not require any other information, he registers with a email in the format username@erewhon.xyz or nameless@newhon.zyx. Which may let you know a couple of his favourite authors but not much else.

Originally Posted by eeeink

And you make that trade-off -- of giving your behavioral data -- when you purchase ebooks from those companies as well.

He makes quite a few purchases from Kobo and they happily sync to his ereaders. However, he purchases Kobo gift cards and uses those to pay for his purchases. Admittedly, if someone was dedicated enough, they could trace the card activation back to his card but that would not say who was actually using them. Those 20% off sales at Canadian Tire are a good way of helping to keep the costs of his habit down.

[crossi]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

How many books does it take to make your archive full? I didn't even realise that was possible.

Sorry. I don't mean having it filled to a limit. I meant I want the archive completely empty in order to cut the number of pages on my home screen in half by only listing the books I've sideloaded from Calibre.

After registering my Kindle I turn off whispernet and reset it to factory. Then I sideload all my Amazon books with titles edited to show series and number and add them to the collections I make on the kindle. Since the software doesn't know who this kindle belongs to after being reset the archive stays empty.

[eeeink]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I have my Kobos registered to me. A friend has his Kobos registered but since Kobo does not check the email address and does not require any other information, he registers with a email in the format username@erewhon.xyz or nameless@newhon.zyx. Which may let you know a couple of his favourite authors but not much else.

I've read this a few times on this forum and must be missing something. I just set up a new Kobo Forma and it required a username *and* password, as in it required a registered account with Kobo or another service. Is this method you mentioned a non-US option?

I ended up using Sign-in with Apple, then turning off wifi, deleting the saved WiFi password, and then disabling the account in my Apple account. I wish I would have had the option to put in dummy credentials, but the generated email address being stored locally on the device and also not connected to me any longer is sufficient.