Over the past year or so, several solutions have appeared that allow users to synchronize files between a central web site and several computers. I love having my data up-to-date in and instantly accessible on my home machine, work machine, and laptop, as well as having the ability to access everything via my iPhone. I’ve tried three different services, each of which has benefits and disadvantages.
Microsoft’s Windows Live Mesh is in beta, but is very usable today. Once installed, you can select any folder or file to add to the Mesh, and choose which accounts and machines can sync each one. There is no way to see syncing in-progress, and it is a bit mysterious when it decides to sync a file. However, I found no file contention issues and never lost data. The mesh.com web site has an amazing-looking Windows desktop-like UI, but it isn’t completely compatible with non-IE browsers. There is no iPhone web site, though m.mesh.com mostly works. Live Mesh even includes a Remote Desktop system that punches through firewalls and maintains the original desktop size. There are hints at future integration with Office Live and Skydrive, but no promises. The mesh API is supposed to be open and available soon (it is already based on the open FeedSync design), so it will be interesting to see what results of that. Available for Windows and Mac.
Syncplicity also lets you choose any file or directory and choose which machine gets what content. The sync status is easy to see, and the desktop app is small and fast. Files are synced instantly – so fast, in fact, that it might get synced while the file is in use, which can cause problems with some apps. You can access previous versions of files to revert changes, and deleted files are stored in the local computer’s trash bin. Syncplicity’s most unique feature is the ability to view and edit some files using web-based apps such as Zoho, Scribd, and Google Docs. This is really impressive, and I can’t wait to see more file types and web apps supported. The Syncplicity file management web site can be pretty slow, and appears to be all Flash-based. The iPhone-optimized site isn’t working right now, and though the generic mobile version m.syncp.com works fine, that site can also be slow. Available for Windows and Mac, with a Linux version in development.
Drop Box syncs just a single directory, but if you understand what a symlink is, you can add symlinks to any other directory on your system. This is not newbie-friendly, and you need to manually set this up on each machine, but for technically savvy users it’s not a big deal. Everything in the folder is synced to all machines, all or nothing. While this is a bit primitive compared to Live Mesh and Syncplicity, it works well, and is extremely fast. Drop Box checks for binary differential updates to files, and only syncs the bits that have changed. Like Syncplicity, you can access previous versions of files to revert changes. The web site is very fast, and works fine with all browsers. The iPhone site is a pleasure to use. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
I still need to give Sugarsync a try, as it too looks interesting. Sugarsync offers a native iPhone app.
All of the solutions offer at least 2GB of free data storage, with various pricing plans for more data. Live Mesh is still completely free while in beta, and post-launch pricing has not been announced.
Overall, each sync solution is quite good, and well worth checking out. I used Live Mesh exclusively until it stopped connecting on my machines at work. Beta issue? Firewall change? Syncplicity has the potential to be great if they can make their web site faster and resolve file contention issues. Until then, I’ll be a satisfied user of Drop Box.
I can't tell you how many times I've seen InstallShield crash or hang when I try to install or uninstall a program on Windows XP. In many cases, I'll open Process Explorer, kill the hung process, and take a peek at the TEMP directory (in Windows\Temp). I usually find a dozen "temporary" copies of InstallShield files in there, so deleting everything in TEMP sometimes fixes the problem.
Tonight, I finally got around to installing a game that was sitting on my shelf for the past two years. When I ran its installer, InstallShield crashed with the useful message: Error Code: -5009 : 0x8002802b
Thanks, that's helpful. Luckily, a four-year old post on a the Macromedia forum revealed a fix: just nuke the C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Professional directory.
Now to scan the machine for SafeDisc and other malware…
Y'know, back in the old DOS days, you installed programs by typing:
c:\> md coolgame
c:\> copy a:\*.* c:\coolgame\*.*
And it always worked.
Like most laptops, my ThinkPad X40 has an ethernet port and built-in WiFi. My office at work supports both connection types, so theoretically, when I plug into the ethernet network, the laptop connects via ethernet, and when unplugged, it uses WiFi.
However, this was not the case for me. Instead, when both ethernet and WiFi connections were available, the laptop would randomly choose between the two at random intervals. Compounding the problem, the office WiFi connection requires the use of a VPN for security, whereas the ethernet network does not. That meant that periodically, the laptop would try to access the WiFi net without a VPN, and the ethernet network with VPN. Essentially, my network stability was hosed.
As it turns out, Windows XP has a feature that supports automatic network connection preferences. If you have multiple networks available, XP can automatically choose the fastest one, or choose one that you have manually set to a higher priority. The priority settings are kept in the "Interface metric" setting for each TCP/IP connection. Open the Network Connection control panel, right-click on a network connection, click "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)", click Properties, then click Advanced. At the bottom of the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog, there is a checkbox for "Automatic metric" and a settings box for "Interface metric".
On my laptop, both the ethernet and WiFi connections had the Interface metric set to 10, which told the laptop that both connections were of equal priority. According to Microsoft, Windows XP includes a set of default values for interface metrics, so the "Automatic metric" setting should work for most cases. In my case, I set both network adapters to Automatic, and my troubles went away.
I've seen a lot of creative and sometimes hair-brained schemes for publishing PowerPoint files to a web site. But if a timed sequence of static slides works for your presentation, a simple animated GIF is a cheap and easy way to go. The free ImageMagick command line tools make it straightforward.
convert" to convert the images to a pixel size suitable for your web site. Ex: convert -geometry 540 Slide*.PNGconvert -delay 1000 -loop 0 Slide*.PNG presentation.gifThat's it! Upload the GIF to your web site and add it to your page normally.
A few years ago, changing out hardware from underneath a Windows install was a sure way to ruin your OS. So when I received the parts for my new machine this week, I decided to try using various migration tools to get my data from the old machine to the new one.
Specifically, I used Microsoft's built-in Backup and Files and Settings Transfer Wizard tools to copy everything to a Linux network share, then restore to a fresh XP install. Surprisingly, these two tools managed to restore more than 90% of my original machine to the new install. And if I hadn't spent an hour or so playing with the new machine, I probably wouldn't have noticed just how screwed up my new system was, and how impossible it was to fix the restored config. The Backup app was interesting, and worth looking at again some day, but I'll never use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard again.
I decided to take a chance and do a straight image from the old hard drive to the new one. I used the amazing Linux-based gparted live CD, and with a little prep work, everything worked out perfectly. Here's how I did it:
I should note that I had to reauthorize the Connected Online Backup software, as well as authorize the new computer in iTunes. Which reminds me, I should also deauthorize iTunes in the old computer. I also presume that Windows Media DRM is probably out of whack, but I don't have (nor plan to have) any Windows Media DRM files.
Every time I fire up gparted, I get more impressed with it. It is a must-have boot CD. And it makes me smile to know that the best way to migrate a Windows install is with a Linux boot disk. 
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/
