Use Back to My Mac without .Mac

Or you could just use the free version of LogMeIn.com ...it works great.

For a geek like me, who has set up OpenDNS and knows how to configure VNC and AFP over SSH, and has a web host that supports WebDAV, even this tutorial isn't that necessary.

And for backup I just use Mozy, which is only $50 a year and offers unlimited storage.

.Mac isn't competitively priced if you know how to achieve the same thing or more for less money. If .Mac ever gets PHP and MySQL support, then I'll look at it.

I wonder if this approach provides secure encrypted communication during the iChat Screen Sharing Session.

Don't you ONLY get encrypted iCaht communications as a .Mac subscriber?

@ J.G.
Now be fair about the pricing. Some people may need one or two of the .mac features. Take for instance myself. I don't want the web gallery... picasa works just great for my needs/usage. I don't need web hosting as I have a real hosting provider (php/mysql/ruby and all that jazz)... IMAP mail, sorry I like my gmail which gives me both IMAP, POP3 and web interfaces.... iDisk sorry not for me BTW they did tie that nicely into the system... Groups I don't share my iCal with that many people and those that I do share with tend to use googles calendar.... Backup I have something for that already... I have a total of 100 GiB of back up online storage at my disposal...

So what is someone like me left paying the either 79 or 99 a year for? Back-To-My Mac and Sync. Now for someone like me that is over priced... after all I just have to systems an iMac and my macbook pro. I should have to sync the two via .mac bonjour should be my friend here.. which really leaves me with Back To My Mac isn't worth that much at all.

So remember the value added services don't necessarily have the same value to all.

Have to say I've been chuffed as nuts with the free version of LOGMEIN on the mac. Works just fab on my PC in the office and no messing about opening up ports either end (through a tight UK Govt dept firewall too!).

I appreciate it's nowhere near as functional as the above but for a simple cross paltform way of screen sharing from a mac to PC or Linux this really is a breeze, especially if you back off the colour settings...

I posted this on a different TUAW post but....the directions in Melvin Rivera's blog seem unnecessarily complex. I made a simple applescript you can tweak to accept screen share requests from only one specific iChat buddy.

You can check it out at http://www.getstonered.com

Or you could just create a remote disk from a Mac no leopard required and there's plenty of guides online - that's what I'm going to do.

@4: They are obviously having problems getting it to work through most routers. There is a note on the main .Mac support site stating this problem and it's also listed as one of the bug fixes 10.5.1 will try to address. I really want to get it working.

@3: I agree with you. $100 a year is not bad at all for all the features it includes now. If you don't care about photo sharing and don't have multiple macs in multiple locations, then it probably isn't worth it for you. For me, it is a bargain. For someone like my mom (with no computer skills), it's priceless.

Gasp... CHANGING SYSTEM PREFERENCES???? editing APPLESCRIPT??? making my computer ALWAYS STAY AWAKE???
damn... i don't think i can handle this

Gasp... CHANGING SYSTEM PREFERENCES???? editing APPLESCRIPT??? making my computer ALWAYS STAY AWAKE???
damn... i don't think i can handle this