I have been using Windows Live Mesh software on my personal laptops (Windows 7 and Windows XP) and on Surabhi’s laptop (Windows Vista) for a few months now.
It is a wonderful software that allows you to do some interesting stuff in a very user friendly manner.
1) Share a file and it is immediately available on all other computers and in an online account at once.
2) Set permissions to ensure only files you want to, are shared
3) Share different files/folders with different people.
4) Works seamlessly in the background. You just know it works.
Live Mesh is a part of 3 new products from Microsoft: Live Mesh, SkyDrive and Live Sync.
To know the differences between the three, check Amit’s blog.
This compares very favourable with other services such as box.net and dropbox.
However, it is a little disheartening to see that none of the popular commercial blogs such as techcrunch or engadget give it any coverage to speak of. I mean, not liking Microsoft is one thing, but actively ignoring new and good products that can help thousands of customers just because they are made by Microsoft is plain biased.
(Sure they have a few articles, but seriously, compared to other/similar companies?)
30 Mar 2010 at 10:08 pm
Maybe it’s because Google docs has offered the same thing for over two years now?
31 Mar 2010 at 12:12 am
But Live Mesh offers complete sync of all types of files. Music, documents, photos, with folder trees.
I only see Google Docs syncs “documents”. or if I missed it … show me the link (money, too, but link will do)
See here: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Google+Docs/thread?tid=7eb6d8df4b7abf54&hl=en
31 Mar 2010 at 12:13 am
Also, even if Google Docs has offered similar functionality, that is no reason to disregard Microsoft’s better version?
After all, hotmail always existed, gmail was just a better take on it …
31 Mar 2010 at 7:58 am
I meant gdocfs + Fuse on Linux. I forgot you wouldn’t be able to use it. Also, the web UI has an arbitrary file upload function now:
http://www.google.com/google-d-s/whatsnew.html
(yes, I know that’s not exactly what you meant)
And if MSFTs version is better, well, their legions of fans (eg: you) will shout it out from the rooftops while they’re poised to EEE :-p
31 Mar 2010 at 11:16 am
Interesting. Haven’t really heard about it before this but here are some thoughts:
1. Windows Live SkyDrive:
Like Jim said its not something new, gmail improved the email by a radically different interface. As far as I can tell they don’t have anything different/improved from the existing services.
2. Windows Live Sync:
I sync the files between the different systems I use using Unison. It doesn’t upload stuff online but that is not something I need so I am quite happy with it. Although I can always configure it to sync to a remote server if I need it to.
Although, having the ability to install something and ‘just have it work’ is quite good and is a plus point in the MS software’s favor.
3. Windows Live Mesh
Again, this is not something new. Others have provided this service and again I don’t see a new feature that changes the game like gmail did.
– Suramya
31 Mar 2010 at 10:57 pm
@Jim: True, but you really cannot compare M$ fans with the delirium of Apple fans, can you! hehe
@Suramya: Again, I don’t say Live Mesh is some new invention. But I do believe that for the vast majority of PC users (of which, the majority is Windows based) this software offers a truly simplified, error-free and smooth option.
Similarly, I use this tool called SyncToy (again, M$) that allows me to setup file/folder sync between a source and destination folder with options such as “full sync”, “echo”, etc.
Where each option allows for a different sync process (copy only, mirror, copy+update, etc)
My peeve is that if it had been a product from Google or Apple, it would have been raved about everywhere. It’s the bias towards the parent company affecting the reviews of the product that affect me.
15 May 2010 at 2:18 pm
I like dropbox and I think I will be sticking with that. It handles files well and syncs quickly. Sharing is easy and security is not really an issue.