Dropbox, or one of the alternatives like Ubuntu One or SparkleShare, are great tools for keeping computers in sync. They offer some unique abilities as well. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Keep config folders, like Pidgin's .purple directory in your Dropbox, and symlink to it in your home directory. It saves entering the same information on your computers.

• Have your home computer monitor a specific folder inside Dropbox for torrent files. Then, whenever you want to download a torrent at home, just put the torrent file into your folder on any computer, and it will start downloading at home.

• Keep your favorite desktop wallpaper photos in Dropbox, so you have access to all your NASA astronomy pictures on your various desktop and laptop computers. (This works for non-NASA photos too, but why would you want non-space-based wallpaper?)

• Use Dropbox in combination with Calibre and Calibre2opds to keep your e-book library on-line and always accessible. It makes downloading a book from your collection simple when you're on vacation and forget to pack enough books.

Do you have more Dropbox tips? Send them to me at shawn@linuxjournal.com, and I'll publish the good ones on LinuxJournal.com.