Is Amazon deleting side loaded books?

[Byrdie]

Oh, dear! I was hoping to use Calibre to get them all organized and sideload that way. Guess I'll have to stick with the way I'm doing it for now and hope someone comes up with a solution. Or at least an explanation.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Byrdie

Oh, dear! I was hoping to use Calibre to get them all organized and sideload that way. Guess I'll have to stick with the way I'm doing it for now and hope someone comes up with a solution. Or at least an explanation.

The solution is to keep wifi off. As to the explanation... it's hardly likely Amazon will give us one.

[talespin]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

There is a very simple solution. Do not turn on WiFi.

Excellent solution, because none of us use the same device for books as we do for going online.

Reminds me of the old joke: A man goes to see a doctor, tells the doctor "Doc, it hurts when I XYZ. What should I do?" The doctor says "Don't XYZ."

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by talespin

Excellent solution, because none of us use the same device for books as we do for going online.

The issue in this thread is specifically "Amazon deleting books sideloaded via USB to my ereader". If you use the same device for reading and going online, chances are you don't sideload via USB and your problem is something else altogether.

As I remember, your own problem was your epub files disappering from Calibre, which actually IS a whole other issue and has nothing to do with Amazon deleting sideloaded books.

[Iceyz]

FWIW - I had a kindle without being connected to calibre for weeks just up and delete all its sideloaded books one day (the amazon loaded ones were fine). The folder structures were left but the book files themselves were gone. I believe this is possibly the first time I've seen this in more than 10 years.

I had it blocked from the wifi in recent times but who knows if there was some old firmware waiting to autoinstall next reboot/crash etc

[jwash]

I just experienced this issue for the first time: turned on wi-fi to download library books only to find several dozen sideloaded books were wiped out. Luckily my books are on a hard drive and I can sideload them once more, but this is pretty malevolent on Amazon's part.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

There is a very simple solution. Do not turn on WiFi.

With all respect this is no solution at all, seeing as it blocks the owner's ability to download purchased or borrowed content.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by jwash

With all respect this is no solution at all, seeing as it blocks the owner's ability to download purchased or borrowed content.

Only affects borrowing.
Downloading bought content to PC is fine.

I understand that having no WiFi is no solution for many. IMO it's a bug so eventually they'll fix it.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Quoth

I understand that having no WiFi is no solution for many. IMO it's a bug so eventually they'll fix it.

It may take years. The cover bug lasted a very long time. Amazon doesn't really care about sideloaded content.

[jwash]

Originally Posted by Quoth

IMO it's a bug so eventually they'll fix it.

I have a feeling in Amazon's opinion it's a feature; they're trying to prevent people from loading content which hasn't been bought from them.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by jwash

I have a feeling in Amazon's opinion it's a feature; they're trying to prevent people from loading content which hasn't been bought from them.

I don't think they're actively trying; it's more likely that any issues with sideloaded books are a very low priority for them. Who knows when it'll get fixed, if ever.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by talespin

Excellent solution, because none of us use the same device for books as we do for going online.

May I ask if you are actually using an Kindle eInk ereader for going online? Kindle eInk ereaders are the devices from which sideloaded content has been wiped. If so, I would suggest purchasing a low end Android tablet as even that will be a much better experience.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Amazon is not deleting side-loaded eBooks. If Amazon was doing this, there would be a major outcry and we'd have more then 1 post on MR about this.

Oopsies

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

It may take years. The cover bug lasted a very long time. Amazon doesn't really care about sideloaded content.

They don't much care:
1) Confusion caused by originally marketing Fire LCD tablet as a Kindle.
2) Dodgy electrical products, their own brands and 3rd party sellers.
3) Content that Doesn't work on kindles sold in Kindle store
4) Non-reflowable Print Replica sold as Kindle ebooks
5) Interactive books came and died.
6) Add DRM when publisher says 'No DRM'
7) Misleading adverts on search and book pages of Read Free (KU isn't free, it's a subscription) and "free" companion Audible titles.
8) Can't turn off One Click for ebooks and add them to shopping basket.
9) Misleading checkouts using "dark UX" tricks to get people to sign to Prime
10) Messed up Comixology when bought it.
11) Users can't fix incorrect Series data
12) Collections break if you have certain combinations of Kindle models and sync.
13) Can't go back on a Firmware update. Might want to if it's stupid (you can on Kobo).
14) Big minimum margins and line height.
15) No PC local method for collections, only Web or device.
16) List view now has icons, so too few items.
17) Kids mode blocks sideloaded PD books (or used to).
18) Scribe changed to MTP and other strangeness
19) Official Epub support is only inward and only via their servers
20) Poor documentation on what can be in an ebook.
etc.

So, yes, they might not fix it quickly or at all.

However I'm pretty sure it's not policy but a mistake.

[Sirtel]

I'm sure every retailer has such a list. Kobo certainly has their own (the shortcomings of both their kepub and epub reader is a prominent example; different font sizes between kepub and epub; buggy firmware updates (yes, they usually do fix the bugs eventually, but it might take a long time); the fiasco with the Sage battery life; and so on and so forth...

Still, as things stand now, I definitely prefer Kobo to Amazon.