posted
OK, I've got a laptop running XP Pro, a desktop running XP Home, and a pocket USB drive. I use a crossover cable to send files back and forth between the laptop and desktop when I need to. The problem is that Windows' briefcases suck. One-to-one synching, and I can't create new files in the briefcase itself. I need something that'll recognize duplicate working copies of a file on mounted drives, in more than one specified location, check to see which needs to be updated, and do so. Preferably where I could plug the USB drive into either the laptop OR the desktop and it'd recognize the changes and update. It'd be REAL nice if I could do this with arbitrary locations on each drive, instead of the files needing to be in specialized folders, so I could keep my bookmarks updated. I gather that the Offline Files feature of Pro is at least somewhat closer to what I want than briefcases are, but Microsoft sucking like it does, they crippled Home so that that feature isn't present. Is there any sort of hack I could use to get it working? External program? Absurdly simple solution that I should be able to see but can't?
-------------------- "This is why you people think I'm so unknowable. You don't listen!" - God, "God, the Devil and Bob"
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
The absurdly simple solution would be to get a Mac.
I don't know about any file-synchronization systems for Windows, but it speaks volumes that such a simple task is f*cked up by Microsoft's programming.
(Sorry I can't provide more "practical" advice -- as in, advice that doesn't require you to buy two new computers. Honestly. )
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
There is no hack to enable OF&F that I am aware of, nor a third-party utility with the same level of functionality. IE: no absurdly simple solution. If you need the service that desperately however, and you happen to have an XP Pro installation disc lying around, upgrading the Home machine would do the trick.
Registered: Nov 1999
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