I've found out that Gaim Portable stores your contact list in one of the local directories and I think it's risky because if someone steals your portable storage device you don't want them to know your contact list.
Could you update Gaim Portable with the option of not to store your contact list?
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We don't update the packaged software, it's unaltered source-wise, and that's the way Gaim works. This is why it's recommended that you use encryption on your portable device. TrueCrypt is free and open source, but requires admin mode. Most good drives include a commercial encryption tool, some which don't require admin mode.
I personally wouldn't care if someone got my buddy list. I mean, it's just a buddy list.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
*cough* http://liberta-project.org/liberta/core/puss *cough*
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R McCue
PortaBlog Home and My Website
People who didn't need people needed people around to know that they were
the kind of people who didn't need people.
(Maskerade)
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Well personally I do because I don't think e-mail address should be handed out and I would be annoyed if some stranger started bugging me on msn or hotmail because they got my e-mail address by a stray contact list file and I don't want people to know who I know.
You're assuming that a certain chain of events would have to occur:
1. You would have to lose your USB drive
2. Your drive would have to find it's way into someone else's hands without it being broken, run over, ending up in the trash, etc.
3. The person that finds it has nefarious intent and does not turn your drive into lost and found
4. The person who finds it would have to look up how Gaim works and where it stores the buddy list info and then access it within the XML file (since, if you have Gaim Portable save your password, you immediately logged into MSN and changed it when you lost your drive).
5. The person then would have to figure out some way to abuse this info. (Sending you or your buddies harassing IMs for instance, which you could easily block)
All in all, an unlikely scenario. And, even if the million to 1 shot all five things happened, is it really that big a deal? So, like I said, if you're concerned, encrypt it. You can use Yadabyte's encrypt thing to encrypt that single file. Or you can do the same with EncryptOnClick.
Incidentally, you do take these same precautions with your laptop and/or desktop right? You don't think your Windows password actually protects anything do you?
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
...run over,...
Like mine
----
R McCue
PortaBlog Home and My Website
People who didn't need people needed people around to know that they were
the kind of people who didn't need people.
(Maskerade)
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
I have built in encryption for my thumb drive but I can't use it because I don't have admin rights (I use it at university) so can you recommend anything?
If your that worried, dont use gaim