Interesting (free) utility

[Shady]

Anyone who has forgotten a file on their computer while out and about will know how annoying it can be. This looks to be a useful little program that allows you remote access to all your files from a laptop, PDA, windows mobile phone or another computer...:

http://www.avvenu.com/

Note that I haven't used it yet - mobile's out of commission for a couple of days... However, I've downloaded it and intend to - perfect when you realise you need something from the home/work computer when you're elsewhere. Reviews seem generally positive.

 

[LyNx]

still won't work if you also forgot to leave your computer on :wink:

 

[gidon]

I use www.logmein.com - can be very handy. Much easier to use than VNC and works through firewalls with very little effort. Will have a closer look at avvenu ...
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Shady]

Funnily enough, it will if you sign up to their 'plus' service - would cost you, but you can then specify which files you want to access at any time, and it hot syncs them to a server cache - so then it will... :wink:

However, for a broadband user, just leave the thing on - I do. Turn the screen off if you're an energy saving freak.

 

[LyNx]

energy saving freak.

hehehe, i like that

 

[LyNx]

i use gotomypc, works well

Andy

 

[RogerS]

Guess I'm too paranoid from a security perspective to even think about giving this houseroom on my PC!

 

[Shady]

Out of interest, why, Roger?

I'm ex-military, and won't put my name up here - hence the possibly pretentious but definitely anonymous 'Shady' moniker... After several years playing hide and seek in Northern Ireland, you get that way. I am security vetted to a significant level, and I work alongside the premier forensic computing laboratory in the UK... After 18 years of thinking that way, I tend to make a 'security assessment' almost subconsciously with anything.

Having said all of that, it's a cost/benefit analysis. Of course it's more secure to run your computer with no internet connection at all, ever - the so called 'air gap', that guarantees no virus problems, no hackers, and no spam - but the internet is a fantastic tool that has fundamentally changed peoples' lives and working patterns. (witness this board...)

Do you ever use a credit/debit/switch card to pay for a restaurant meal? Have you ever let it out of your sight? (prior to the new chip and pin systems). If so, that's a far more serious potential risk than using an encrypted and pasword protected system like this. If not, then you are a natural for a job in intelligence... :wink:

On the other side - what's the worst that could happen? You might, theoretically, allow someone who was overlooking/ snooping the opportunity to see what's in some of the folders on your computer (you can define the access to what folders you want available). Unless you are an international porn baron, or an Al Quaeda organiser, that's probably not a major disaster. Don't get me wrong - if it was a computer with sensitive business/commercial info on it, I'd be wary - but the potential utility exceeds the potential risks, for me.

 

[RogerS]

Out of interest, why, Roger?

If I was a stick of Brighton rock and you cut through me you'd probably read GSI. 'nuff said? :wink:

 

[Shady]

Hah! Funnily enough, I did some work at a location remarkably near you...

(Edit - and I've now tried it: seems to be an excellent system. Tunnelled straight through the firewalls at my place of work as though they weren't even there, with no configuration from me (!), and now I'm scanning my work desktop from my home pc. Yay! - all those Dilbert strips about working in a dressing gown are now 'my lifestyle'... )

 

[Charley]

I use remote desktop (the one built into Windows) to connect to my PC here while I'm in the office at work. It's a lifesaver if you forget to bring a file, it's handy to be able to access Outlook and all my emails as well.