Google Browser Sync Discontinued
Via a post on Google Operating System, I learned today that Google Browser Sync will be discontinued at the end of the year. It was a pretty neat idea: You’d install a Firefox extension on your browser, which would upload your web history, cookies, etc. to a central server. Then if you installed the same extension on another browser, you’d be sync your browser state between machines. Basically, this means that each browser would appear to function as the same browser.
That’s a shame, I thought it was a good idea. I tried using it for a while and thought it was pretty neat, but I had to stop using it for a couple reason:
1.) Security. I don’t like the idea of my cookies and web browsing history in the hands of another party. Mostly the web-history, too. I develop sites for a living, and there are some URLs in my history that I don’t want anybody else to see. Passing URLs, even as a Firefox data, is not something I can responsibly allow.
2.) Had to start separating work from home. One of the best features of the program is that it lets you close down your browser at work, drive home, and then bring up the same browser, but think about that. Is that something you really want to do? I work from home enough, so when I’m on my home laptop I’d rather just have all of my work URL’s out of my sight.
These problems aside, I thought Google Browser Sync was a neat idea. According to the post above there are some alternatives, and perhaps I’ll check them out soon.
Tags: [google, google browser sync]