This is too arcane and complicated; there has to be a more straightforwards way to sync computers and devices.

Question

I have two computers and an Android phone, an EVO 4G. Every time I've tried to use Sync, each machine using FireFox thinks it's the only one and wants me to start from scratch.
Isn't there an easier, more straightforward way to do this?

Answer 1

I couldn't agree more with what's been said here, this process is WAY too complicated, and I'm an IT Operations Manager! I've been an XMarks user for years now, and only recently started looking into Firefox Sync as I wanted to sync with Firefox on my phone.
This process breaks down in the fact that you need to be in front of two devices at the same time -or- have access to this arcane offline key blob. This is all very 1980's in a generation where I can transfer my entire net worth to a different bank account with a few taps on my phone.
I understand the need for heightened security here, but you're basically flipping a middle finger to the entire "cloud computing" concept by reverting back to siting in front of two devices to "get 'um synced up" or click a floppy disk into your computer with the "secret key". Which by the way, I made the reference to the floppy disk because if you're not "sitting in front of the computer" as it so aptly suggests, then how would you have access to the 40 character key? My mistake, I didn't commit it to memory, or email it to myself (thereby making the fact that it's "offline" completely irrelevant). So my point stands that unless you carry around your key in some sort of offline device, the entire process makes no sense. Again, v-e-r-y 1980's. Obviously I'm embellishing, but the process really does feel that old.
Borrowing from every other cloud-computing-like service, there's a common theme - You enter a very secure username & password, set up encryption keys if necessary that more than likely use your password to seed the encryption key if necessary. If my bank, 401K, photo service, online backup software, and file syncing software call all pull it off, I think Firefox should be able to sync my bookmarks and saved passwords in the same fashion.