LM account for sync

[cevad]

I use 4 different computers on my daily routine. (I like desktops instead of laptops).
All my computers are running LM 17.3. 3 of them are on Cinnamon and 1 is on xfce due to less graphical power. (Linux Mint is the only operating system installed on those computers. No VM, no Wine, No playonlinux.)
I use dropbox and imap emails. So all my personal and business files are always up-to-date.
My web browsers sync everything and I can continue where I left off.
Libre;Office is my primary office suit.
Thundrbird is my only email desktop client. I use AddressbooksSynchronizer add-on to be able to sync contacts between computers.
Google Docs and Google Drive as well as MS Office 365 are good complimentary online tools for me.

With this setup and with my childish enthusiasm I change my computers very often with the available ones in the office in a great variety.
I install different linux distro2s to try. I install LM with different DE's. And finally I conquer one of them and install LM Cinnamon with all my personel settings and preferred applications.

Two things bother me during this process.
One is related to Thunderbird. There is no option like the Firefox has. An account setting syncing. I like very much the idea in Firefox, Chrome, Chromium, Opera implements. A username and a password and taaa taaa, everything is there with all my preferences and add-on's and bookmarks and history and saved passwords and set homepage and extra. Thunderbird fails at this stage. I need to copy my profile files manually over one computer to another.

Very similar issue is valid for Linux Mint. Recent Windows and Mac OS X systems try good thing with their related account settings. When you start a new installation at any of them, you will get plenty of nice touches to your desktop and settings. You start with a very familiar and preferred environment.

Android and IOS go even further and clone your previous phone to the new one with all the applications, shortcuts, desktop settings etc.

Now here is my suggestion after all these background:

Can't we have a Linux Mint account which syncs thru computers of our preferences, panels, applets, desklets, background, shortcuts, themes and moreover the applications, packages we have installed fom official repo's? This kind of syncing can have options during the execution to select which options to be transferred. There can be multiple profiles to be able to choose for a laptop or a desktop OR for business computer or personal computer, etc.

This kind of personalization will ease the users life greatly. And also can be an asset for the developers to be able to see the most common settings to get the valuable real time feedback. Of course I am talking about anonymous feedback to be limited only system settings if permitted clearly by the user.

I believe that this will be the difference and superiority over other Linux Distro's.

[cevad]

Still thinking the same. That would be great...

[coffee412]

If all the computers where on the same network and wired (Im talking 1 gig network speed) you could set one computer up as your server and export the home directory to all the other computers via NFS. Therefore, When your on another computer you are still using the same home directory on the server from any other computer.

If you are at work and do this then it means you will be accessing your home server thru a possibly slow connection and things would run slower. In this case you could run your home directory from a usb stick. Then rsync the stick with the home server after work.

Just some ideas

[cevad]

Sounds good. First of all thanks.
I have no problem for daily usage. Dropbox and imap emails make the magic.
The struggle is at the very first setup after fresh install on the new machine.
I am getting more and more experience at every new installation. But it is annoying to make all the small adjustments. Date format, login screen, background image, sleep times, applets, desklets, second panel setup, etc. Is this difficult? No. Is this time consuming? Yes. Is this annoying? Yep...
If windows manages, Linux Mint could do it in a better way.
It seems that I am very alone on this subject. If it gets more popular there will be hope for the future.

[catweazel]

Is this difficult? ... Is this time consuming? ... Is this annoying? ...

No, no and no.

I make comprehensive notes and if I have to reinstall I simply follow the notes. A new install of Mint 18.3 KDE takes twenty minutes to get it the way I want it, from insert USB flash and install. Then I do clonezilla backups regularly.

[smurphos]

Aptik is a user data focussed backup/migration app, made by the same gentleman who develops Timeshift a system data focussed backup app. Timeshift is now effectively built into Mint (since 18.3). Aptik can be installed currently via a PPA.

Aptik looks like a good candidate to do this job. It is not fire and forget - the user needs to manually backup and decide how to get the backup to appropriate cloud storage, and as it stands would need to install Aptik manually on any new Mint installs before trying to restore user data.

http://www.teejeetech.in/p/aptik.html

I don't think Mint would be able provide a completely built-in online sync service. Consider the cost/security issues involved in running the servers and the privacy implications.

[cevad]

Thanks a lot. I will give a try and let you all know the experience...