Last August, Microsoft combined Windows Live Sync and Live Mesh beta into one with the official name “Windows Live Mesh”, and also make it as part of Windows Live Essentials. This new service uses 5 GB of SkyDrive’s 25 GB storage as the online synchronization storage (it is called SkyDrive Synced Storage), the storage is very generous, I have to say, comparing to other major cloud storage service providers who usually provide 2 GB of free storage. It also provides the synchronization directly from one computer to another computer without using the SkyDrive Synced Storage, and there is no limit on the file size to be synchronized (unless the file size is larger than the size of your hard drive of the computer receiving the file).
According to a recent Windows Live Blog, Windows Live Mesh has now connected 5 million devices, with over 3 million users syncing data with Live Mesh. To my disappointment, Windows Live Mesh is still missing a very useful feature that existed in the old Mesh Beta: a web interface that allows users to upload files to the SkyDrive Synced Storage. You can view/download files from the SkyDrive Synced Storage, but you cannot add/delete files from it. Basically, the SkyDrive Synced Storage is read-only. If you need to modify any file in SkyDrive Synced Storage, you will have to install Windows Live Mesh client on your computer and then set up synchronization to the SkyDrive Synced Storage, after this, you can add/delete file from your local computer.
Here is the old interface that allows you add/delete file in Windows Live Mesh beta after you log into Windows Live Mesh beta at www.mesh.com:
Note: Windows Live Mesh beta will be discontinued very soon, so when you get to www.mesh.com, you will see a note at the top right corner asking you to upgrade to Windows Live Mesh 2011:
But now, if you go to your SkyDrive Synced Storage at https://devices.live.com, then click on the storage link, you will find that you can only browse and download your files, you cannot modify any files.
The lack of ability to modify files via the web interface is a big disappointment to me and I hope Windows Live team will add this “old” feature back in the next release.
I too am very disappointed in this. Seems like a no-brainer – this functionality should be included.
Thanks for posting this. I couldn't believe that they had removed this feature and assumed that I was missing something. This is yet another example where the engineers developing the software are obviously not eating their dogfood. This seems like such an obvious use case! I guess it's time for me to start evaluating alternatives.