I'm frustrated, trying to get more details about the design and workings of ThinkSync. There are no screenshots, or product page, on the ThinkDesk section of Stardock's site. And, no demo to download. I have been using GoodSync to keep several copies of my files in sync between my laptop and my home desktop and server. See http://www.goodsync.com/ for details on that product. It seems to be a very good product; I've been using it too much, however, to keep using the free version, and will need to purchase a license for it. But, I'd rather give my money to Stardock, as I've been a customer since 1999 of just about every product they have. But, I cannot find out enough details about ThinkSync, to see if it compares with GoodSync or is very different. Can anybody clue me in, please?
Comments
on May 01, 2007
Wow. Not a single reply? Nothing from the current beta testers. Nothing from sales. Very disappointing.
on May 01, 2007
Sorry your previous post got missed, stuff can get pushed down pretty quick here.


on May 03, 2007
Hello,

I apologize that you had not received a response. You can find the descripiton of features for ThinkDesk including ThinkSync directly on our site here: https://www.stardock.com/products/thinkdesk/features.asp

There is a screenshot for ThinkSync on the bottom of the page here: https://www.stardock.com/products/thinkdesk/screenshots.asp

Do you have any specific questions about ThinkSync that I can look into for you? Please let me know here, or you can email Sales@Stardock.com

Thanks!
on May 04, 2007
I think the big question is when will this product be finished? Personally, it is the reason I originally decided to buy the ThinkDesk suite - it is a real shame it has gotten so little attention over the past 1.5 years.
on May 05, 2007
jennybean, thanks for replying. I had missed that screenshot, as the thinkdesk apps page only has detailed pages on multiplicity and keepsafe. And those pages have screenshots for those apps, and links to more (at least multiplicity does).
However, that one little screenshot for thinksync doesn't really answer my question(s) about the details of the functionality/features of thinksync. GoodSync seems to be a good product in this market. I've been using their free version for a good 6 months or more; but I've reached the point where I need to upgrade to their paid version to continue using it. So, remembering that Stardock also had a sync program in their "upcoming" thinkdesk suite (what's it been, 1.5 years, 2, more?), and being a Stardock customer since 1999 (I have pretty much all of the products), I'd rather keep supporting Stardock... as long as your product will do either (a) Basically the same things as GoodSync, or ( Similar but an even better job. It was very frustrating, however, to find basically zero information on thinksync. And the only posts about it I can find in the forum is how a couple of users are having issues with it either never installing correctly, or when they finally get it installed, it expires in a week.

Well, anyway, back to the questions.
- What types of jobs can I set up to synchronize?
- Can I sync between my desktop and a USB flash disk?
- Can I sync between my desktop and a network share point on my server?
- Can I sync between my USB flash disk and my laptop?
- If I can indeed do the above three items, and therefore require the software to be installed on my desktop and my laptop, how many licenses do I need? To me, the synchronizing between my laptop and my desktop is one action - it just happens to have a USB flash disk as an intermediary step. However, with GoodSync, I would need 2 licenses. To me, syncing files between one computer and a USB flash disk doesn't really accomplish much.
- Are there limitations to the size of files, or the number of files/folders in a job?

I'm sure I have other questions, but I can't think of them right now. I'd really love to see a detail page link on https://www.stardock.com/products/thinkdesk/features.asp for ThinkSync and SecureProcess. $70 is a lot to spend on 4 utility products (especially since I really wouldn't use multiplicity often if at all... I've got the opposite hardware situation -- multiple PCs, one monitor, using a kvm switch), compared with $50 for more than 29 products in ODNT. I'd really like to be able to read about what I'm going to get for that money.

Thanks for your time. I know this was a long post.
Robert
on May 05, 2007
Hi! I have ThinkSync. I don't use it yet. If there are any tests you would like me to run, I'd be happy to help. At a quick glance thru the menu tabs I would say the answer to your three "Can I..." questions is Yes. -Orange_Radiance

on May 07, 2007
Hi,

Thanks for responding. I am looking into these questions for you and you should receive a response shortly.

Thanks!
on May 07, 2007

OpusCroakus: Yes, ThinkSync will work with those three types of synchronizations you specified, as Orange_Radiance specified. This would actually be a perfect set up for you since ThinkSync currently allows a maximum of three jobs. These jobs may include any location of your choosing (local, attached, network) for either the primary or secondary. The license covers installation on one machine and a second machine ONLY if you are the main user on this (laptop or work computer, for example). There are no kinds of file size restrictions that I am aware of.

The primary reason ThinkSync is not advertised and does not have a product page is due to the fact that this software is still alpha (pre-release), so things may still change before it is finally released.

Even though you do have a KVM setup in your current situation, you may want to consider migrating to multiplicity. lcd monitors are very cheap (19" for ~$200) and tying your machines together with Multiplicity will likely prove invaluable to you (I recommend this to anyone running more than one computer, especially a desktop and laptop).

While KVMs are nice because they reduce the number of input devices to a single set spanning multiple systems, there is still very much a gap between each machine and it is impossible to see what's going on without having to switch back and forth, or even worse, cycle through. Multiplicity not only allows you to seamlessly move from one system to another, to view the display of multiple systems simultaneously, but it allows you to copy and paste essentially anything between your two computers (only pro allows files/folder copying). For example, I very frequently will take a screenshot on one system (hit Print Screen) and then paste into photoshop installed on another system. Speaking as a previous user of a 4port KVM, I highly prefer my new setup over the old

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

-Mike
[Stardock Support]

on May 07, 2007

OpusCroakus: Yes, ThinkSync will work with those three types of synchronizations you specified, as Orange_Radiance specified. This would actually be a perfect set up for you since ThinkSync currently allows a maximum of three jobs. These jobs may include any location of your choosing (local, attached, network) for either the primary or secondary. The license covers installation on one machine and a second machine ONLY if you are the main user on this (laptop or work computer, for example). There are no kinds of file size restrictions that I am aware of.


The primary reason ThinkSync is not advertised and does not have a product page is due to the fact that this software is still alpha (pre-release), so things may still change before it is finally released.


Thank you for the info. I was just a little surprised at not being able to find out much information, especially since there (at least used to be) have been more detailed information about certain ODNT components which never came to light. As I said, I like the GoodSync product but I'd rather keep supporting Stardock... but was unable to find any info without purchasing the ThinkDesk subscription.

Even though you do have a KVM setup in your current situation, you may want to consider migrating to multiplicity. lcd monitors are very cheap (19" for ~$200) and tying your machines together with Multiplicity will likely prove invaluable to you (I recommend this to anyone running more than one computer, especially a desktop and laptop).


While KVMs are nice because they reduce the number of input devices to a single set spanning multiple systems, there is still very much a gap between each machine and it is impossible to see what's going on without having to switch back and forth, or even worse, cycle through. Multiplicity not only allows you to seamlessly move from one system to another, to view the display of multiple systems simultaneously, but it allows you to copy and paste essentially anything between your two computers (only pro allows files/folder copying). For example, I very frequently will take a screenshot on one system (hit Print Screen) and then paste into photoshop installed on another system. Speaking as a previous user of a 4port KVM, I highly prefer my new setup over the old


Well, my problem is not so much cost (I have two spare monitors lying around at the moment), it's desk/table space! I don't have room at home to put a 2nd monitor on one machine, let alone have it connected to a 2nd PC. And, the 2nd PC on my KVM switch at home is my Server (DC, file server, web server, DB server, internet gateway, etc.). I don't WANT to make it easy to access that one!
And at work, where I do have the space, I have my personal laptop and my company owned one. So, I wouldn't be able to use it there (nor would I really want to).
I did try the Multiplicity trial shortly after it came out 1.5-2 years ago, and I thought it was a very interesting product, and definitely has its uses... but didn't feel it was a good candidate for my various scenarios. The other components of ThinkDesk definitely sounded like excellent pieces - KeepSafe and ThinkSync especially.

It's a real shame that there hasn't appeared to be much development work (or at least there has been next to no marketing done) since it was first announced. It leads me to believe that all of Stardock's developers have been wasting their time, pulled onto projects for supporting Microsoft's latest beta version 1 OS (Vista). I'd rather see twice as much development done on promised applications and updates to other applications than working with more lipstick on the new pig. It also makes me very hesitant to plunk down money for the 1-year subscription if there won't be any major updates or new components in that timeframe. Yes, I understand that right now (just like when ODNT was in beta) that the 1-year countdown does not start until the products are out of beta... but if it takes 2+ years to get 4 products out of beta, how many updates will occur over the following 1 year? Also, I'd expect that my Server PC. would be where KeepSafe would be the MOST beneficial, but I wouldn't be allowed to run it on there. "At present, you are not licensed to use ThinkDesk apps (apart from Multiplicity) on Windows Server."