Bah, requires a google account. Time to start reverse engineering it ... I wonder what licence it's distributed under, and if it's based on sroaming.

Says it's not compatible with Firefox 1.5.0.4, this is on OSX.

Sure, I'm going to store my bookmarks, history, cookies and *TATAAAA* passwords on google's page. Maybe I'm going to send them my car-keys, too. Wait,... maybe not.

Is it not obvious that this is a really, really bad idea? Bookmarks is one this (for which I use del.icio.us), but passwords and surfing history?! Maybe if I was sure that they get encrypted *before* being sent to Google, and can only be decrypted by a key stored securely on my machine(s).
But Google's benefit of this service is knowing exactly which sites are visit. Sorry, can't give you that information; it's enough that you know which sites I search for.

Noam.

"Privacy Notices

Google Browser sync

• Google will store the Firefox browser settings that you select in association with your Google account and use them to synchronize settings for Firefox browsers on other computers. **You can choose to encrypt Google’s stored copies of your settings.** When you update or delete your browser settings, the copy stored with your Google Account will be updated or deleted as well."

Well I love the idea. I'm probably a naive fool, but hey, what can I do about it.

The bookmarks sync seems to work... ( just tried the upload thought ). Would be nice if this would also work in thunderbird ( contacts / events ( from lightning ) )

They won't give me the xpi since I'm on Firefox 2 a3 .. er.. sorry Bon Echo alpha 3. :-)

Could someone please post a link to a copy? That'd be great - thanks!

I really dont understand people sometimes. It only saves your passwords (encryptrd) if you want to so. On install, uncheck "save passwords" option.

This is by far the most useful extension for me, since I use firefox on 4-5 different PC's.

They won't give me the xpi since I'm on Firefox 2 a3 .. er.. sorry Bon Echo alpha 3. :-)

Could someone please post a link to a copy? That'd be great - thanks!

Just disable JavaScript.

First it gave me a zillions of "unknow error", and then it made my firefox crash as hell also after uninstalling! I guess is not really a 1.0...

Bookmark sync was already available from Foxmarks. That works excellent with either your own server or theirs. Works on OSX as well and is less a privacy risk.

Hm, I guess this won't work on the trunk because of Places ... what a pity.

I love the feature. I hate seeing my config files - including my saved passwords - transit through someone else.

You know I'm far less concerned about my privacy when it's a massive company like google than a small outfit like Foxmarks. And yes I kow you can use foxmarks with your own server, I've been doing just that for some time.

I know I should care, privacy is important but somehow I just can't seem to get myself worked up over it in this case. As someone mentioned you can opt out of certain aspects even if you choose to use it in the first place.

I'll certainly give it a go, because Foxmarks whilst great has had some problems occasionall for me. Conflicting files where you have to decide whch is the most up to date. Not a huge deal. Somewhat worse though corrupt remote version of the file so that no sync takes place and you need to upload a new copy.

"Sledghammer to crack a nut"

mmm to me feel like a not so nice solution to a problem already solved by www.ownarea.com by our famous Ian!

Some points:
OwnArea lets you have bookmarks (static) + roaming bookmarks (the ones you "want" to have around with you). OwnArea does cater for multiple people on one browser, (browser personalisation service), that anables you to sign-on to firefox and have your stuff move around with you, this means two people on one machine can do the same thing (and not share) where as Google browser sync justs caters for the "browser software" so all the info on the browser gets synced regardless of how many people are using it.

Anyway, it seems that some people love to roam. I seem however to google my "vitual bookmarks" more and more, while not keeping a history of my bookmarks...

Marco

"Just disable JavaScript."

Ok, thanks. Didn't think that far.

Nice... but what I *really* want to be able to do is keep mutliple copies of Firefox, Opera, and Safari in sync on several different computers. I tend to "browser hop" a lot these days.

And what about privacy? They are going to store all this staff somewhere? :(

to James, who suggested to reverse engineer it - and for those thinking about changing e.g. the maxVersion to make it run under Bon Echo/future versions of Firefox or other "enhancements" - this is from the TOS (emphasis mine) :

Google grants you a personal, non-transferable and non-exclusive right and license to use the object code of its Software on a single computer limited strictly to non-commercial use only by you;
>>>>
...provided that you do not (and do not allow any third party to) copy, modify, create a derivative work of, reverse engineer, reverse assemble or otherwise attempt to discover any source code, sell, assign, sublicense, grant a security interest in or otherwise transfer any right in the Software. You agree not to modify the Software in any manner or form, or to use modified versions of the Software, including (without limitation) for the purpose of obtaining unauthorized access to Google services.

You agree not to access Google services by any means other than through the interface that is provided by Google for use in accessing Google services.

also sprach Google...

Oh yeah... *im sure* i'm going to upload my stuff to them.

heres the link:
http://dl.google.com/firefox/google-browsersync.xpi

Although they have a liscence, I'm going to tinker around the source to see how it works..

-MACKisback

Sounded like a neat idea. However, on my Centrino laptop and P4/2.4 GHz PC (all on XP.sp2), as soon as I start the Google browser sync, it runs my processor at 85-90% and makes everything jerky and slow. It never seems to reduce the load on the processor.

I uninstalled it from both machines.