PureSync 3.0 puts files where you need them

German software house Jumping Bytes Software has released PureSync 3.0 for Windows PCs, a file backup and sync tool. Version 3.0 includes a number of bug fixes for both Personal (free for non-commercial use) and Professional Editions (€14.95; about US $21.50), but significantly adds to the feature set of the paid-for Professional Edition.

PureSync 3.0 Professional, which is unlocked via a license file after purchase, now supports synchronizing over FTP, plus the ability both to compress and encrypt files. It's also now capable of copying open and locked files and can provide email notification of a finished job, complete with log.

Other more minor improvements are available to both editions, including better handling of move operations -- files are now physically moved rather than copied and then deleted -- while search and replace operations can now handle paths.

PureSync 3.0 requires a Windows PC running Windows 98 or later. Certain features require later versions of Windows (2000 or later), along with additional components for specific tasks -- for example, the .NET Framework 2.0 tool for email notifications.

Alternative free tools: Allway Sync boasts a slightly expanded feature set that's available to both free and paid-for editions of the software -- a separate 64-bit build is also available. If you're looking for a different way to sync files, check out Syncless, which allows you to tag folders, which results in related files automatically being synced to that folder without having to be manually selected first. Those interested in a cross-platform syncing tool should also look at Synkron, which is open source and runs on Windows, Linux and Mac platforms.

Syncing normally requires that both computers be switched on and connected, but an increasing number of online backup providers support syncing across multiple platforms using the Internet as an intermediary. AVG LiveKive offers a generous 5GB of free online storage, while SugarSync offers just 2GB for free. Those looking for an inexpensive solution that involves trading unused storage space on their hard drive in return for online storage should also take a look at Lacie's Wuala. All three solutions are cross-platform, allowing you to effortlessly sync files between Linux, Windows and Mac.

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