If you use multiple computers, it’s convenient to have everything stored on a central server that can be accessed from any internet connection - or “cloud” as funky companies like Apple like to refer to it by. With services like Windows Live Messenger storing display pictures, contact lists and your display stuff, it seems that loads of services are using the cloud to store personal details and settings. So, why not go the full way? Mozilla Weave does, letting your synchronise everything from cookies to history onto the Mozilla servers. Services like Windows Live Messenger should offer cloud message history synchronising - it seems silly just to store certain cosmetic things but not other more important things.

I think every program that has settings should use this method, because ignoring the fiscal disadvantages of it, it makes an entire service much easier to use. The chances are that someone will use an application on more than one PC with an internet connection, and they may want their settings to be transferred to the new PC because it makes continuing what they were doing before really easy. I’m not suggesting some kind of roaming user profile system over the WAN, but I am suggesting that more and more programs should start turning to the cloud, for ease of use. It’s not like companies like Microsoft don’t (or won’t) have the server power to do so…