So I got a new netbook today, and I was being annoyed with having to transfer files back and forth all the time. Saving settings like bookmarks, mail, and all that jazz was becoming very annoying. Plus I just did not like the idea of having a pen drive perm attached to my netbook!
SO!!! I went and created me a free ZumoDrive account (http://www.zumodrive.com) which gives you 2 gigs of space completely for free.
It registers as a drive (like any other cloud drive) on your computer, so I installed portable apps platform to it, and I was amazed to see that it worked really well!
Admittabley, the programs start up a little slower then normal (not to much slower), and the first time you run them from the cloud drive, it takes some time for your system to cache stuff...
but all in all it is extremely useable, and its portable apps with out having to have your pen drive with you all the time!
Of course, this only works if you have internet everywhere you are (which I mostly do), and if you dont like keeping your files on a pen drive (I really dont).
I have only used this about a day or so, so if you guys get some more info on it let me know! So far everything seems to work good besides thunderbird, which can be a little slower then normal.
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I would do the exact (almost) same thing, but 16GB isn't free anywhere that lets you sync really easily.
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Maybe you could tell us what about the netbook was making you have to do all of that stuff. That sounds terrible.
My question is, if you were so annoyed at transfering files, why did you join a commercial service that forces you to transfer files back and forth just to use it?
I created a small commandline app that syncs my PA installations via my home PC/server (using Unison and SSH).
This can also be run in a socket mode, but that is to be considered unsafe.
I am slowly working on a GUI version, but that will still take some time.
Anyone interested?
I would love to have something like that.
Does SSH require open ports (my dad won't let me touch the firewall on the router :()?
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Yes, you would need to open a port to use Unison via SSH. It would be nice to use Unison with a bounce server, but that would include major changes in Unison (and a server
Specifically, Firefox and Thunderbird (and Sunbird) tend to have files that get constantly updated, and maybe Songbird.
Most apps don't require their settings to be transferred back and forth, even if you have several computers to sync.
So, you could use this for just FF, TB, SB, and to store generated files and documents, but there's no advantage to putting apps like OpenOffice, Gimp, VLC, etc. up on this cloud drive.
I made this half-pony, half-monkey monster to please you.
Actually it does.
If I install an additional app on my thumb drive, it will synch the whole structure with my server (I can prevent that, but it is my default).
When I am home, I can fire up my local copy of PA and have the application ready to use without a second (or third ..) installation of the new app.
Also if I update an application, I do not have to remember to repeat that on all my PA instances.
Also, you can define paths and patterns of files to be excluded from the sync with unison (for example cache folders etc.) to prevent sending over megabytes of browser history updates.
I'm not sold on cloud drives/services such as Dropbox because I use computers that block those services, but they do not block either my flash drive or my external hard drive.
I use PortableApps on my own computer at home, but I use a completely different Firefox profile (no work/corp proxy setting, more bookmarks to a lot more sites) and I keep all my portable apps on a second internal hard drive. I don't use the menu (though I have it) and have shortcuts to all the launchers on the desktop, backed up on the hard drive for quick restoration after a reformat.
At home, it might make sense, for some things, but I like my solution better.
On the go, it makes no sense at all, but then again, I haven't got a netbook. Just a corporate Dell that my 8GB Flash Voyager fits nicely in.