Google just came out with a new Firefox extension called Google Browser Sync, which syncs up your browser bookmarks, history, saved passwords, cookies and tabs/windows between all your computers, using your Google account.
Now, despite the Big Brother issue that immediately comes to mind*, I decided to try it. After all, it's a real pain to make sure I have all my bookmarks and passwords on my laptop when I need to go somewhere.
So, I first installed it on my desktop. Then I installed it on my laptop, and voila, sure enough my Firefox browser on the laptop suddenly had all my new bookmarks. Was momentarily happy.
So, I go back to my desktop and open up Firefox. OH NO! My bookmarks toolbar folder (you know the one displayed as a toolbar) is now all messed up! It not only shows what was there before, but also a bunch of stuff from my laptop, most of which is duplicated. Not what I wanted! No, no, not at all.
Now, I have to go through the painful chore of cleaning it up. And of course, if I leave Google Browser Sync running, it will just happen over and over again.
Ugh. What a mess. Too bad too, because I could use something like this.
*Now for the Big Brother issue. All of this data resides on a Google server. Imagine it. All the sites you've visited, all the ones you've bookmarked, all your passwords...sitting out there...just waiting for the government to insist upon having it. Not pretty.
****
Off to uninstall this sucker.
UPDATE: After uninstalling, I realize I've now been logged out of all forums. In other words, my persistant login was not so persistant after all. Just a minor thing, but still an inconvenience brought on by this little "gift" from Google.