Impressed with FolderShare
Wow. I just tried out FolderShare this evening and it rocks. ROCKS! I don’t know where I’ve been that I hadn’t heard of this before, but it is super useful (and free!)
In a nutshell, you download a little application (both XP and OSX are supported!) onto the machine that contains files or folders you’d like to “share.” In this case “share” just means that you can literally share folders or files with other people, or you can just keep it to yourself and get to your home machine from work, for instance, or vice versa.
I just installed it on an XP machine, then went downstairs and used my Mac to browse and download files on my XP machine. Sweet! This definitely looks like a keeper.
I liked it a lot, but it takes up a lot of cycles. And a main use would be for syncing laptops, where they’re critical. I’m watching mine closely.
I’ve been using Foldershare for about 2 months now and love it. I use it to sync my work laptop and home/personal computer. In a sense, it’s a free backup service.
I also use it to sync URL links in Firefox. I use the Deskcut Firefox extension and save URL’s to a Foldershare synced folder. As I drop links in there, I know that they’ll be available on the other computer in just a few minutes. I use this to remind me of sites to check out later when I have time (at work or at home).
I haven’t seen any excessive CPU usage or network issues. I have a 700mhz PC at home and a 1.7Ghz laptop at work. I have broadband at home and T1/T3 at work.
The only feature that I wish it had was the ability to exclude certain files. I don’t want to sync up the temporary files that Word creates or iTunes library files. Other than that… I love it.
One of the best things that you didn’t mention in your post was the google search capabilities built into foldershare. From any browser, you can enter a keyword search, and the foldershare website will return all the files related to your keyword from each connected computer. WOW!
FolderShare has become a lifesaver for me. I don’t sync all my files from my laptop to my two desktops (office and home). On occassion, I’ll need an old reference document, which is conveniently not with me. Through the google search capabilitiy, not only can I find the document, but I can download it onto the system that I’m currently using.
A real lifesaver.
Thanks Nitin…hadn’t dug into it enough to notice the search thingy. Wow!
NP. The funny thing is that Microsoft has left the google search capability on Foldershare even after they acquired the company. Smart move by Microsoft.
I’ve been using foldershare for a while, and had mentioned it to my readers a while back. It is indeed a great app. Let’s see what MS makes of it.
regards,
Leo
Yup, I’m a big fan too. This program is just amazing.
However, do note: You cannot purchase a larger ‘library’ for files (it sets some arbitrary number per account), which sucks when I’m working on a project with hundreds of small images. But if that’s the biggest drawback, Foldershare is head and shoulders above any other synchonization software I’ve ever seen.