[MP-Ryan]

I'm going to assume you have both machines connected to a network, and just point you to FreeFileSync.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/freefilesync/

I use this program at home and at work and it's excellent.

[Ghostavo]

If what you want is simply synchronisation, Live Mesh and SyncToy are nice tools assuming you use Windows.

[Scourge of Ages]

I was having trouble syncing my Windows 7 laptop with my Vista desktop over my LAN, since the network setup on those OS's are not the easiest to get to work together. I mean it can probably be done without a whole lot of trouble, but it's too much work for me to figure out.
So what I did was set up Google Drive on both machines. Any time either of them is online, it'll sync the folder. It's technically not very efficient, but it is extremely easy to do. And since I mostly only sync small files, it works great!

[Klaustrophobia]

granted i've never used vista, but my XP and 7 get along fine. 

the only annoying thing is the hand-holding in 7 made it difficult to share my external drive.  i don't care what YOU think is unsafe microsoft, no one is going to break into my apartment, walk past my desktop to my bedroom, access my laptop, and steal my video files.  and even if they do, i don't ****ing care.  i'm not dumb enough to put damaging info on shared drives.

[Nuke]

**** all that homegroup ****

to share stuff over the network the 1337 way:

1. put computers on the same work group. right click computer -> props -> advanced system settings -> computer name -> change workgroup name button, enter the same name for all comps (its workgroup by default so you really can skip this step unless you want something badass there).
2. create folder somewhere,. right click on it -> props -> sharing -> advanced sharing. click share this folder checkbox, give it a share name, and set permissions if desired (so you can make them overwriteable).

you can now find that folder in the network by the name specified in the share name field. yay!

granted i've never used vista, but my XP and 7 get along fine. 

the only annoying thing is the hand-holding in 7 made it difficult to share my external drive.  i don't care what YOU think is unsafe microsoft, no one is going to break into my apartment, walk past my desktop to my bedroom, access my laptop, and steal my video files.  and even if they do, i don't ****ing care.  i'm not dumb enough to put damaging info on shared drives.

if they did that they would probibly just steal the laptop and the desktop too if they had a noobish goon with them to carry it. theives also like to steal external backup drives too cause they can usually get $10 for them at a pawn shop.

[Klaustrophobia]

i have paid absolutely zero attention to homegroup.  i still don't know what it even is or what it's intended function is, other than generally having to do with networking.  i was rather worried when first making the 7 transition with all the weasel words and jargon getting thrown out in the ads and specs that it was the new name for workgroup and it meant networking was going to be totally ****ed between different OSes now.  i'm glad that didn't pan out.  i would have been pissed if my laptop and desktop couldn't connect.

[Nuke]

its fileshareing for dumbasses who dont know how to use the filesystem.

[LHN91]

^ Or when setting up a network for people who aren't at all technically inclined, and you don't feel like manually setting up the shares.

[BlueFlames]

Or for war drivers who pop round and find out that you didn't properly secure your wireless signal!

[jr2]

I always love it when I see networks "secured" with WEP

Yeah, this'll be good enough!

ha

It's like using the lock on your screen door -- might keep out snooping neighbors, but not burglars.

[Klaustrophobia]

how many hackers are attacking YOUR home network?

[Nuke]

i dont have to worry about that. there are 3 unsecured networks in range of mine. and im using wpa with tkip encryption (for compatibility) with the largest passkey that the protocol supports. while some hackers would see this as a challenge, i figure getting in through the internet would be easier, and i think im the smartest hacker in this town anyway.

[LHN91]

At the moment I actually am using wep. On my router, but I'm in a basement, I can't even get signal from my router from the street. That and my one computer has a really awful USB wireless stick that wont stop dropping the connection with even wpa-tkip.

On topic, at one point I decided to try keeping things synchronized between my systems. Then I realized that I really didn't want that. Certain things I want on my desktop, others on my laptop, and the odd  both I usually keep on flash drives or the like. Even my music doesn't stay the same, my laptop usually has my newest stuff and the stuff I'm sorting thru and my desktop and home theater have a more concise list for easier shuffling.

[Mongoose]

I always love it when I see networks "secured" with WEP

Yeah, this'll be good enough!

ha

It's like using the lock on your screen door -- might keep out snooping neighbors, but not burglars.

I still use WEP simply because I have the password that came with the ISP router (literally, it's on a sticker on it) memorized, and I can't be assed to come up with something longer that I'd be able to remember.  As far as I know, there aren't exactly any hardcore hacker types living in the houses around me, and I highly doubt that one is going to happen to drive through my neighborhood someday, looking for home networks to exploit.

[Nuke]

i also use a mac filter so unless i entered the mac address for a device its not getting on the network. sure they can sniff and decrypt my packets but its not like i care about that. they arent going to find a whole lot, cept maybe what porn sites i use.