.Mac sync question / other sync software?

[zynizen]

Just got a few quick questions here...

If i buy 1 .Mac membership can I just use it to sync my itunes and iphoto library between my macbook pro and iMac? will this work the way I want it to?

also, is there any other free syncing software that will do this with ease for the mac without paying for a yearly .mac subscription?

seems pretty outrageous to me, to pay for a yearly membership just to sync my photos and tunes between my macs. I don't really use the syncing for other .mac capabilities, nor need them, especially when timemachine comes out for leopard for the backups.

Thanks!

[eric2006]

I don't think .mac will sync a library - it publishes, and shares, but not in the way you want it too. You could use the iMac as the server for the libraries, invest in a highspeed network (wireless N/gigabit ethernet), then use the option-startup on iTunes or iPhoto on the MacBook Pro to select the remote library. You can also manually copy over the library if you will be away from the network, or you could automate it with something like Chronosync.

[zynizen]

I tried the ChronoSync, nice app, works well for syncing the itunes folder between the computers, but, my only problem is that the library file, thinks its still my laptop, so when I go to sync a family members ipod to the iMac, it thinks its a different library and wants to erase all data.

Isn't there an easier way to do this? I thought thats what .Mac membership was for, is to sync all data between multiple macs. I know through iPhoto and iTunes you can browse other networked share libraries, but that does my family no good when my laptop is away from the house.

any other thoughts would be appreciated. thanks again!