Windows Live OneCare is not the sole component of Windows Live on death row. Microsoft informed that Windows Live FolderShare would jump straight to version 2.0 from Beta, and would be killed off in the process. However, even though Windows Live FolderShare will not make it into 2009, the service itself will survive as the Redmond company has revealed. This because, on the ashes of FolderShare, the software giant plans to deliver Windows Live Sync to end-users. In this regard, Windows Live Sync will be available, from the end of this year, to users looking to synchronize their computers, PCs and Macs over the Internet.

“Windows Live Sync will offer many of the same great features seen in Windows Live FolderShare today, but offer several improvements over Windows Live FolderShare I think folks will enjoy: more folders and files: Sync up to 20 folders with 20,000 files each; integration with Windows Live ID; integration with the Recycle Bin - no more separate Trash folder to fiddle with; new client versions for both Windows and Mac; and Unicode support (sync files in other languages),” explained Brandon LeBlanc, a Windows communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team.

According to Microsoft, Windows Live Sync is essentially Windows Live FolderShare version 2.0. In December 2008, users will notice that the FolderShare software will stop working. Microsoft promised that upgrades to Sync would be offered to all current FolderShare users. Still, there are concerns over maintaining the full functionality of the service during the transition, even at this point in time. Microsoft informed that Sync would be able to rebuilt personal folders, but that the introduction of Sync might temporarily lock users out of the service.

“Sync will not be able to rebuild your shared libraries. If you have a lot of shared libraries, you should hop over to the FolderShare website, while it's still available, and copy all that information. You'll need it to rebuild your shared libraries in Sync,” revealed a member of the Windows Live Sync (formerly FolderShare) team. “You should also note that the Professional option is being retired with the FolderShare name. Sync has a single offer, which provides free synchronization for up to 20 libraries and 20,000 files. We'll be working to raise those numbers as our service grows.”