Addressbook sync service available for testing - Page 3

NJSS · 16 Sep 2010, 04:25 PM

Like Sherry I am concerned about having to give any more information than is essential to Google/GMail.

Am I being paranoid about this? I ask because a couple of years ago I was the victim of ID Theft, some of the information that the crooks used probably came from information gleaned from the web.

NJSS

Jeremy Howard · 16 Sep 2010, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJSS

Am I being paranoid about this? I ask because a couple of years ago I was the victim of ID Theft, some of the information that the crooks used probably came from information gleaned from the web.

I guess it's up to each individual to decide. Personally, I am happy to trust Google and FastMail with this data. I think they both know how to protect their data, and anyway it's not particularly sensitive (phone numbers/email addresses). Besides, they both know much more personal things about me already (FastMail knows what email I send and receive, and Google knows what I search for and read on the web).

I actually like having my important data saved at places like Google and FM, because I trust their infrastructure much more than my own, when it comes to keeping that data safe.

**Sherry** · 16 Sep 2010, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy Howard

Besides, they both know much more personal things about me already

I'm pretty sure, with all my customers, many are probably using gmails address book so they probably have my personal info anyway. I'm thinking of those in my book being upset if I gave them to gmail?

Anyway, there are a lot of FM users who will love what your doing.

Sherry

Jeremy Howard · 16 Sep 2010, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherry

I'm pretty sure, with all my customers, many are probably using gmails address book so they probably have my personal info anyway. I'm thinking of those in my book being upset if I gave them to gmail?

I've never known of anyone personally who was upset at their details being saved into someone's email account - but of course I don't know your customers!

GMail's privacy policy doesn't let them access your individual addresses AFAIK, and I'm pretty sure that under Australian law FastMail can't either (other than as necessary to operate the service, of course!)

Jeremy Howard · 16 Sep 2010, 05:25 PM

Well, I can see from the logs that a few people have now tried the sync tool, and there have been no errors logged at all. So it looks like it's all working nicely! Personally, I've now synced my iPad, iPhone, and Outlook all with my GMail account, which in turn is synced with FastMail. I love having just one consistent address-book, with all my phone numbers and email addresses!

In order to create the single address-book, I exported my contacts from my iPhone, and from Outlook, into files, and then imported them into FM. FM's nifty algorithm automatically de-duplicated them automatically as I imported. I also tested importing everything into GMail, and using the "Remove Duplicates" command there - that worked just as well. I think for people who already have most addresses in FM, the best approach is to import other sources to FM, and then sync that to an empty GMail account.

Berenburger · 16 Sep 2010, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy Howard

The sync service is here: http://sync.howard.fm . You don't need to register for it - just use your FM username/password. The first time you use it, it will then ask you for your GMail username/password (although after that it will remember it).

If I understand correctly, you (always) need this server to sync between GMail and FM. Will this server become a permanent one in FM's infrastructure or remains this a personal initiative?
I.o.w. How can I trust this server wil be available in the future?
This is important to me, because it can be a reason for moving back to FM.

Jeremy Howard · 16 Sep 2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berenburger

If I understand correctly, you (always) need this server to sync between GMail and FM. Will this server become a permanent one in FM's infrastructure or remains this a personal initiative?
I.o.w. How can I trust this server wil be available in the future?

It won't move to FM's infrastructure, I wouldn't think (it's written in a different language to the rest of FM). However, FM may create something similar in the future, and they're welcome to use my code to help them. (If FM do decide to host it directly in their infrastructure, they're certainly welcome to do so!)

Having said that: it is very likely to remain available in the future, for as long as it's needed (i.e. until FM release their own equivalent sync tool, or one of GMail of FastMail disappears, or removes their API). All the services I've created in the past still exist - including FastMail! The service is hosted on one of The Planet's "cloud" servers, so it should be stable and reliable (e.g. it's stored on redundant network attached storage, not just on a single drive, and it's connection to the Internet is through many redundant connections).

scutworker · 17 Sep 2010, 12:07 AM

I used this (and very well it worked too). Is my Gmail password now stored on your server under my 'account' that I logged on with?

Is it possible to delete my Gmail password from your system if I want to?

Jeremy Howard · 17 Sep 2010, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scutworker

I used this (and very well it worked too). Is my Gmail password now stored on your server under my 'account' that I logged on with?

Is it possible to delete my Gmail password from your system if I want to?

Good questions. I've just added a "Clear Saved Details" link to the Prefs screen, which removes your Gmail username/password. I've also encrypted the GMail and FastMail passwords stored in the DB (this means that the next time you use the service, you'll have to type your Gmail details in again).

Mystakill · 18 Sep 2010, 12:09 AM

Jeremy,

I've not tried your sync service yet, but it sounds as though it's an on-demand service, correct? If so, do you have any plans to add scheduled syncing, with user-selectable time periods? That would obviously require you to store Google/Gmail credentials though.

Jeremy Howard · 18 Sep 2010, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystakill

Jeremy,

I've not tried your sync service yet, but it sounds as though it's an on-demand service, correct? If so, do you have any plans to add scheduled syncing, with user-selectable time periods? That would obviously require you to store Google/Gmail credentials though.

Yes, I plan to add that this weekend. Gmail credentials are already stored (encrypted). Time periods won't be user selectable at the moment. I'm thinking every 6 hours automatically, and max every one hour manually.

kirill · 19 Sep 2010, 04:59 AM

Just for the record - Soocial is able to sync a lot of "devices" with Gmail, so Gmail can be used as a hub with Jeremy's service.
It's also nice to know that a failure does not kill the entire SOAP session. It caused a lot of annoyance to me previously.
Greetz,
Kirill

kirill · 19 Sep 2010, 06:15 AM

And by the way, syncing between Google and FastMail has been available for ages.

http://www.emaildiscussions.com/showthread.php?t=56089

Jeremy Howard · 19 Sep 2010, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirill

Just for the record - Soocial is able to sync a lot of "devices" with Gmail, so Gmail can be used as a hub with Jeremy's service.
It's also nice to know that a failure does not kill the entire SOAP session. It caused a lot of annoyance to me previously.

I bumped into Rob yesterday, and he mentioned Soocial to me too. I just had a look, and it seems like a nice idea. However, it only supports 250 contacts - after that it's $40/year, which seems a bit steep for an addressbook!

(Kirill - FM hasn't changed the SOAP error situation; I've simply changed my app so if there's a SOAP fault it logs in again and starts a new session).

kirill · 20 Sep 2010, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy Howard

I bumped into Rob yesterday, and he mentioned Soocial to me too. I just had a look, and it seems like a nice idea. However, it only supports 250 contacts - after that it's $40/year, which seems a bit steep for an addressbook!

(Kirill - FM hasn't changed the SOAP error situation; I've simply changed my app so if there's a SOAP fault it logs in again and starts a new session).

40 bucks/year sounds much, but with monthly payments it's really not that much.

Good luck with your future projects, Jeremy. I met both Rob and Bron when they were here earlier this year.

Greetz,
Kirill

16 Sep 2010, 05:25 PM	#35
Jeremy Howard Ultimate Contributor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 11,501	Status update Well, I can see from the logs that a few people have now tried the sync tool, and there have been no errors logged at all. So it looks like it's all working nicely! Personally, I've now synced my iPad, iPhone, and Outlook all with my GMail account, which in turn is synced with FastMail. I love having just one consistent address-book, with all my phone numbers and email addresses! In order to create the single address-book, I exported my contacts from my iPhone, and from Outlook, into files, and then imported them into FM. FM's nifty algorithm automatically de-duplicated them automatically as I imported. I also tested importing everything into GMail, and using the "Remove Duplicates" command there - that worked just as well. I think for people who already have most addresses in FM, the best approach is to import other sources to FM, and then sync that to an empty GMail account.

16 Sep 2010, 04:25 PM	#31
NJSS Master of the @ Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 1,238	Like Sherry I am concerned about having to give any more information than is essential to Google/GMail. Am I being paranoid about this? I ask because a couple of years ago I was the victim of ID Theft, some of the information that the crooks used probably came from information gleaned from the web. NJSS

17 Sep 2010, 12:07 AM	#38
scutworker Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 44	I used this (and very well it worked too). Is my Gmail password now stored on your server under my 'account' that I logged on with? Is it possible to delete my Gmail password from your system if I want to?

18 Sep 2010, 12:09 AM	#40
Mystakill Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Baltimore, MD (USA) Posts: 835	Jeremy, I've not tried your sync service yet, but it sounds as though it's an on-demand service, correct? If so, do you have any plans to add scheduled syncing, with user-selectable time periods? That would obviously require you to store Google/Gmail credentials though.

19 Sep 2010, 04:59 AM	#42
kirill Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 879	Just for the record - Soocial is able to sync a lot of "devices" with Gmail, so Gmail can be used as a hub with Jeremy's service. It's also nice to know that a failure does not kill the entire SOAP session. It caused a lot of annoyance to me previously. Greetz, Kirill

19 Sep 2010, 06:15 AM	#43
kirill Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 879	And by the way, syncing between Google and FastMail has been available for ages. http://www.emaildiscussions.com/showthread.php?t=56089