Personal computing discussed

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ryko
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LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:50 am

This is really ridiculous. Zero time given to users of it's free service to plan for an alternative. I got an email this morning at 9.20am telling me that they are cutting off users of their free service today. As soon as I login to my account I will be given 7 days to decide if I want to upgrade to the paid service for $49/year. I was using logmein free to support my parents who live half way around the country, maybe logging in 2-3 times a year only. Now I have to quickly figure out how to setup teamviewer or something else for them. Wonder if I could use logmein one last time to do that...that would be poetic justice.

Check out the official statement here:
http://blog.logmein.com/it-management/logmein-changes

And all of the pissed off users here:
http://community.logmein.com/t5/Free/Ch ... 89/page/24

I really hope that the mass exodus away from logmein hurts them in the long run. Would love to see paying customers drop them also. Numerous other companies seem to be able to be profitable and still have free services or applications available. I am sure the bean-counters thought it seemed like a sound financial decision to reduce costs and increase revenue--hopefully it backfires on them. I know that I will not be using it anymore and I will not be recommending it to anyone.
 
derFunkenstein
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:07 am

Thanks for the warning. I hadn't heard about this yet.
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puppetworx
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:09 am

That's a shame, I have it installed on about 5 family member's PCs. I really only use it about 10 times a year so as long as there are free alternatives it's not worth the upgrade to Premium, pretty nice software though.

I was thinking about using Hamachi for a remote backup project recently, maybe it's not the best idea given this news.
 
Scrotos
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:19 am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison ... p_software

There ya go!

I recently had someone make me use Mikogo. Seemed to work well enough. Don't really have much experience besides some old VNC stuff.
 
Duct Tape Dude
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:22 am

Aw man. Hamachi used to be (and probably still is) the best VPN that my friends and I used. I've been hunting for a suitable alternative, and I'm on NeoRouter (http://www.neorouter.com/) now. It requires a server which I'm running through through a DNS resolution service (no-ip.com).

I tried Comodo Unite but the driver didn't play nice with my Windows 8 machine (otherwise it was amazing), and also OpenVPN but it was such a pain to set up and maintain (though probably the most secure).

I hate how LogMeIn took Hamachi and crippled it, and is now killing it. I also wish Microsoft had some kind of built-in VPN like the now-dead Windows Live Mesh. For private file sharing and personal backup/replication, my friends and I use BTSync.

Am I missing any alternatives fellow gerbils think I should be aware of?
 
puppetworx
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 11:57 am

Duct Tape Dude wrote:
I hate how LogMeIn took Hamachi and crippled it, and is now killing it. I also wish Microsoft had some kind of built-in VPN like the now-dead Windows Live Mesh. For private file sharing and personal backup/replication, my friends and I use BTSync.


So BTSync only stores data on computers you select? That solves my problem, thanks! For some reason I had the impression that BTSync stored your data across random people's computers and I wasn't too keen on having Jesus knows what sitting in my hard drive.
 
Duct Tape Dude
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:06 pm

puppetworx wrote:
So BTSync only stores data on computers you select? That solves my problem, thanks! For some reason I had the impression that BTSync stored your data across random people's computers and I wasn't too keen on having Jesus knows what sitting in my hard drive.


By default it uses the BT network (or DHT or something, I'm not familiar with the acronyms) to try and find your computer, but I believe the actual transfers are only directly to select computers with your "secret" (aka key). You can set up read-only and temporary secrets, and see who is connected at any given time.

Overall it's pretty solid for simple folder replication (for the sake of simplicity, BTSync opted to share individual folders instead of individual files), especially from a single writer and multiple readers. There are some advanced things like .syncignore files that I've found buggy (as of early last year), but otherwise we're even debating using it for production purposes at my company for transferring videos, along with a whitelist of IP addresses to use (so we don't even touch the BT network). It's great.

For my own use, I have it sync my music and photo collections to my home server purely for backup. Handles large files without a problem (since it works off the BT concepts of chunks and indexes), unlike traditional file transfers that can get interrupted.
 
DPete27
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:21 pm

Damn, I was always interested in trying LogMeIn. Never go around to it, not it's too late. I'm interested in hearing what people-in-the-know would recommend for other similar free programs.
Main: i5-3570K, ASRock Z77 Pro4-M, MSI RX480 8G, 500GB Crucial BX100, 2 TB Samsung EcoGreen F4, 16GB 1600MHz G.Skill @1.25V, EVGA 550-G2, Silverstone PS07B
HTPC: A8-5600K, MSI FM2-A75IA-E53, 4TB Seagate SSHD, 8GB 1866MHz G.Skill, Crosley D-25 Case Mod
 
Sargent Duck
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:23 pm

ryko wrote:
I was using logmein free to support my parents who live half way around the country, maybe logging in 2-3 times a year only. Now I have to quickly figure out how to setup teamviewer or something else for them.


join.me

Unlike logmein which just lets you connect anytime (even without the person on the other end), with join.me the other person does have to read off the security code that allows you to connect. Yes, if your parents are half-way around the world getting a time that works for both of you will be annoying, but it is free, extremly simple (for non-computer literate people) and a very good tool for seeing their desktop/taking control.
No matter how bad the new homepage sucks or how bungled the new management is...

To all the original writers/contributors and volunteers, please know that I have nothing but the deepest love for you and the work you've done.
 
Techgoudy
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:46 pm

I use TeamViewer. It's free for home/personal use and simple to setup. The great part is that it is similar to logmein free if you set it up right, which takes like 2 extra minutes of work, it can be used to just login to the PC without the need of someone else on the other side. I use it to remote into my home PC all the time and I also use it to help family if their machine will reach the internet.

I'd give teamviewer a try if your looking for an alternative program.
Last edited by Techgoudy on Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
 
dextrous
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 12:51 pm

Another join.me user here. This doesn't seem like a big deal to me with all the alternatives available.
"I take sibling rivalry to the whole next level, if it doesn't require minor sugery or atleast a trip to the ER, you don't love her." - pete_roth
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maxxcool
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:29 pm

@#$%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cybert said: Capitlization and periods are hard for you, aren't they? I've given over $100 to techforums. I should have you banned for my money.
 
jthh
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:35 pm

I third join.me

I just used it last weekend to install some updates on my dad's pc. 8)
 
uni-mitation
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 1:44 pm

Exhibit A: "How to shaft your loyal customer base"

Microsoft, pay attention, repeat and rinse.
 
puppetworx
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:14 pm

Duct Tape Dude wrote:
For my own use, I have it sync my music and photo collections to my home server purely for backup. Handles large files without a problem (since it works off the BT concepts of chunks and indexes), unlike traditional file transfers that can get interrupted.


I just set it up on my HTPC/home server and my main computer and it's pretty darn slick. I'd been using CrashPlan Free but wanted to get something a little more lightweight so I was thinking of using Hamachi with a batch script - but this is so much easier! Not having to rely on a middleman's service in anyway is very nice too. I'm really impressed.
 
Star Brood
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:28 pm

Great, this will help deter some customers from falling into data ransom traps from scumbags like Iogi and MyFreeTechHelp, who have a lot of employees that use LogMeIn to gain control over the computer for malicious reasons. A lot of people are stupid and fall for this.
 
Aranarth
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:37 pm

I also use Teamviewer free version.

I have also used the free plugin for chrome whatever its called. (have not used it in a while.)

I'll have to look at join.me
Main machine: Core I7 -2600K @ 4.0Ghz / 16 gig ram / Radeon RX 580 8gb / 500gb toshiba ssd / 5tb hd
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NovusBogus
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 2:45 pm

Unfortunate, but a good reminder that nothing on the Internet is a guarantee.
 
SoberAddiction
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:08 pm

I'm partial to Splashtop. Even though it is $1.99 a month (instead of free) it is the quickest and easiest solution for me. Before that though, it was Logmein. Was using them for years. I guess it is good that I moved away from them.
 
puppetworx
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 3:56 pm

I just logged into Logmein and I got a message saying that the service is ending on the 28th, not today. Not sure if this applies all over but that's how it is in the UK. Maybe they extended the wind down period after a backlash from users?
 
Waco
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:11 pm

So they're finally killing off the usefulness of their product entirely?

I expected it earlier, to be honest, after the BS they pulled with the free version of Hamachi.
Victory requires no explanation. Defeat allows none.
 
ryko
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:21 pm

If you read my first post you will see that I said that you get 7 days from your next login to their site to decide if you want to upgrade to the paid service. So if you logged in today then your 7 days would expire on the 28th. Is full functionality there? Other users on their forums were saying that they can't wakeup or login to any of their saved computers, only decide if they want to pay for the upgrade. If you don't decide by the end of the 7 days then all of your saved computers using the free version will be removed from what I understand.

Either way I am on to teamviwer which I have used in the past and like. I also wouldn't trust join.me either since it is from the same people as logmein.

edit: for spelling mistakes!
Last edited by ryko on Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
 
UberGerbil
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:34 pm

Well, that's unfortunate. I use Teamviewer pretty much exclusively to actually do things on family members' computers (I found it more responsive than Logmein), but I did use LogMeIn for one feature: it would tell me if the computer was in use before I initiated a remote control session. The free version of Teamviewer does not offer that (the paid version does IIRC). So I was in the habit of checking Logmein first to make sure I wasn't going to be interrupting a game of Freecell when I stepped in to do some maintenance.

Certainly not a feature worth paying $749 for, though. Do any of the other free alternatives offer that? Also, since we're on the subject, has anyone tried (and succeeded) at getting Wake-on-Lan working from Teamviewer over the internet? I see that's a new feature in v9.x, but I haven't had the opportunity to set up the router at the remote end to give it a try.
 
UberGerbil
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 4:45 pm

Star Brood wrote:
Great, this will help deter some customers from falling into data ransom traps from scumbags like Iogi and MyFreeTechHelp, who have a lot of employees that use LogMeIn to gain control over the computer for malicious reasons. A lot of people are stupid and fall for this.
Yeah, my elderly mother periodically gets phonecalls from somebody (with a thick accent) claiming there's "something wrong" with her computer and trying to get her to download crap to do this. Fortunately (a) she can't understand what they're trying to get her to do, and (b) she's not an admin user on her computer so she can't install anything anyway.

Years ago I had a friend who brought back her computer infected with malware after going online at various "business centers" in south Asia. I just nuked it and reimaged it, but I first took a snapshot of the machine and opened it in a VM. It became pretty apparent that the payload was bits and pieces of a RD program (I forget which) so I connected the VM to the internet and, sure enough, after a few minutes somebody connected and started rummaging around in the system. I was kind of tempted to litter the VM with virus-infected files with enticing titles, but I just shut it down and burned it with fire (figuratively speaking).
 
captaintrav
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:19 pm

TeamViewer is better. Ever since I found out I could easily walk people through downloading and launching a TeamViewer session and just give me the session number and password, (as opposed to LogMeIn which needed you to log into your account from the host and install it), I fail to see what they offer besides some already mentioned (minor) features.
 
melk
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 5:24 pm

I dunno, generic VPN seems to work fine for me.
 
morphine
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:18 pm

melk wrote:
I dunno, generic VPN seems to work fine for me.

Works fine for us techies but not for Average Joe.
There is a fixed amount of intelligence on the planet, and the population keeps growing :(
 
Duct Tape Dude
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:05 pm

puppetworx wrote:
I just set it up on my HTPC/home server and my main computer and it's pretty darn slick. I'd been using CrashPlan Free but wanted to get something a little more lightweight so I was thinking of using Hamachi with a batch script - but this is so much easier! Not having to rely on a middleman's service in anyway is very nice too. I'm really impressed.


My coworker was trying to get me on CrashPlan but I couldn't convince him that transferring a terabyte over DSL is less than ideal--especially when I have a little server and spare hard drives ready to go. Glad to hear we're settling on similar solutions.

As a sidenote, since I have this little Windows box I decided to pool several hard drives together in a software pool with some redundancy using Drive Bender. FlexRAID is a similar, more versatile alternative but I figured with BTSync + DriveBender, I could emulate most of what I wanted from CrashPlan without killing my internet. Hooray for 3rd party solutions!
 
Yan
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:37 pm

Any comments about NeoRouter? I like that it works on Windows, Mac OS and Linux, and that it's free.
 
Sargent Duck
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Re: LogMeIn Free going away today!!!

Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:42 pm

ryko wrote:
I also wouldn't trust join.me either since it is from the same people as logmein.


True, it is. But if they ever discontinue the free version of join.me, I'll just move onto something else. For now though, it is a great program.
No matter how bad the new homepage sucks or how bungled the new management is...

To all the original writers/contributors and volunteers, please know that I have nothing but the deepest love for you and the work you've done.

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