I saw some posts asking about synchronizing their desktop/laptop Firefox with their USB flashdrive PortableApp Firefox, and how there's a utility out there called PUSS in development.
Couldn't you just use a file synchronization program (such as SyncBack, or rsync) to synchronize the Firefox profiles of both your desktop and your USB versions? But the question is: where are the exact files to sync, can you just sync the entire "profile" folder or does PortableFirefox make special changes outside of the "profile" folder?
Finally, is there any drawback to running PortableApps (including PortableFirefox) right on your desktop? For instance, I'm thinking of heck, just copy my USB flashdrive's entire PortableFirefox and PortableMiranda right to my hard drive! It should run fast because it's on a hard drive and not a USB drive. The side benefit it would be very easy to sync with SyncBack because your just syncing the ENTIRE PortableApp folder, rather than hunting for an elusive "profile" folder.
Do you think it's a good idea to just use the portable versions rather than regular versions on your own laptop? Thanks!
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You can use any sync program.
You need to sync FirefoxPortable\Data\profile with C:\Documents and Settings\[user]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[random].default
Firefox Portable is fine to run on your desktop. There should be no drawbacks what so ever and it will not clog up your registry or %APPDATA% folder.
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Ryan McCue
Cube Games
There are only two states in Australia: Queensland and Drunk
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
Personally, I have a PortableApps directory on my C: and run all the portable apps from my hard drive as well as my flash drive.
I use SmartSync to sync them, this also means that one is a backup for the other.
For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
"Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing is going to hurt you tonight. Not on my watch.'" (A Few Good Men)
Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous.(Albert Einstein)
I'm glad to hear that some people run PortableFirefox, even on their desktop! It has the benefit of easy syncing and nothing installed on your Windows system files or registry!
So it sounds like at least for PortableFirefox, there's no drawback: all extensions should run fine? What about for the rest of the PortableApps? Anyone notice any problems running any PortableApp off a desktop/laptop hard drive, such as inability to use certain features or modules.
Thanks!
None of the other apps have any drawbacks.
Also, don't set your desktop copy of FirefoxPortable as default, it doesn't set it properly.
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Ryan McCue
Cube Games
There are only two states in Australia: Queensland and Drunk
If you have any questions about the comment above, or anything, please don't hesitate to ask.
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."
I use the portable versions of Audacity, Infrarcorder, Ccleaner (from another site), and other PDFTK Builder on my desktop. I hear installing the "regular" versions gets the registry too messed up over time. The one I DO install "regular" is Firefox because there are too many updates to extensions and so on.
Why does Microsoft not make all (or more) of its applications portable rather than tied to a registry? Is it to keep US tied to the OS? I've always wondered and never, ever found an answer. Is there ANY downside to going all portable on the desktop?
jjb
Jon
Why did you revive a post that was over a year old for this response?
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!