As I understand it, when you sync your new purchase, you will get everything pulled to your local system. Rob has indicated that a purchased copy will have "pointers" referring to the master in the cloud. Unless you change something, there will be no space taken up in your cloud-based copy of the purchased (or shared) Realm.. but it will take up local space on your PC when you sync that down.
At issue here is that any other means of adding data to the local database offers opportunity for piracy. For the same reason, I don't think there will be file-based import/export functionality for transferring Realms (there are other challenges that make file-based import of data difficult, but that's a different topic).
As soon as there is a way to export a Realm to a file, pirates will be looking for ways to remove identifiers from the files, and they will be available on the net.
The cloud serves several purposes.. off-machine backup, means of transferring content to players with Player Edition, means of allowing web-based access for Players, and means of transferring purchased/shared content. I think LoneWolf is hoping that the collective benefits of these purposes are attractive enough for people to accept the cost of the Cloud Service, but they are realistic enough to know that it will not be equally attractive to everyone. Some people, for various reasons, will not find it attractive enough. The monthly fee is meant to cover the multiple uses.. one reason that people will not find the deal attractive enough is that they don't have continuing needs.
I would not characterize it as needing the cloud to browse a virtual warehouse. A closer metaphor is to say that in order to purchase your "appliance" you must also accept the vendor's delivery and installation as part of the package.. it is not offered as a do-it-yourself kit.
I think Rob mentioned something about needing to allow people to stop and re-start their Cloud Service subscriptions in the future; perhaps a small surcharge at the time of purchase to allow a one-time sync without subscription would be a workable alternative? Or they may already have alternative plans "to be announced". The key, I think, is that delivery outside the cloud sync is unlikely, so some means to enable that for people who do not want recurring subscriptions may need to be worked out.
As for the tone.. no problem there. And no hostility intended in my responses.
