Some questions regarding passphrase on sync

quicksite

quicksite @leocg

@leocg Could you please clarify a bit to help Users grok to a "Best Practices" model for using Sync? I've been reading several threads on this Sync topic, and there are too many IF-THEN one-shot answers without connecting the dots about the PROS and CONS of using a Sync passphrase as an addition to your Opera Browser login authentication:

@leocg said in Opera is asking me for a passphrase:

A passphrase should only be asked if the user have created one.

a) You say IF: Thus: what is the purpose of the Sync passphrase? What is the value to the User vs NOT having one?

(b) What is the downside to having one?
According to the longtime Opera for Android user @slytheringirl it's this:

The passphrase is the password you use for sync, not the one you use to sign into Opera. Sadly, Opera android/mobile does not support the sync passphrase which is a major problem that has been going on for as long as I can remember and has no sign of ever being fixed by the devs. If you actually have a sync passphrase as well as a Opera password, the only way to sync your devices is to reset the sync data. It'll keep the data on your devices so nothing should be lost, just the data on the cloud will be lost.

And other users have posted similar, to the effect "DO NOT CREATE OR USE A PASSPHRASE — it will mess everything up limiting your ability to save and see the data you are looking for"

Sounds to me like it's a sequencing issue of when you actually started using a Sync passphrase, with very different "THEN" parts to the outcome and expected behavior from Sync. This would be a great place to clarify using the 2 different scenarios:

(1) USER A has been syncing mobile/desktop for X time without ever using a passphrase.

(a) What has User A been missing all this time?
(b) Is the recommendation for User A to now CREATE a Sync Passphrase?
(c) If so, what will she lose as a tradeoff? (Does all of her former Sync data get nuked from the server requiring that she starts over from zero?)
(d) Assuming User A has had a ton of bookmarks and folders, would it then be better for User A to not create a Sync passphrase?
(e) What is User A losing if she doesn't create a Sync passphrase?

(2) USER B is just now starting to use Opera mobile apps and is about to start using SYNC

(a) When User B begins following the UI steps to begin with SYNC, is User B prompted to create a Passphrase?
(b) Is it required now?
(c) What does User B gain or lose from creating a Passphrase?

Helpers usually can't stand these multi-part questions, and would rather refer user to an FAQ. If there really is an FAQ that goes through both cases of User A and User B, I would happily just go read it if you can provide the link. Thanks very much!

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @quicksite

When you use a passphrase, all your synced data is encrypted, while the when you don't use one, only saved passwords are encrypted.

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @quicksite

Current version of Opera for Android supports the use of passphrase on sync, so some arguments you've posted are no longer valid.

ckida

ckida

I am so incredibly lost and trying to find answers or even hints to trigger my memory. I have been using Opera Mini for Android since Summer of '16. Sadly I don't remember creating a Passphrase.
Now my Opera was updated without my prior knowledge thanks to Microsoft and Windows 10. This week has been a wk from heck (saying nicely) thanks to Microsoft so I was not prepared to try to look for anything like that. And the laptop hasn't been online since Summer of '16.
i have a lot of info stored in Sync. And I mean to the tune of 200 and some odd tabs open on Mobile I guess.
HELP!

sgunhouse

sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer

If you recently changed your password, they may direct you to the paraphrase page asking you for your old password. If you didn't change your password, we don't know.

ckida

ckida @sgunhouse

@sgunhouse
Thank you very much. I did just recently do that a few days ago, and I put in my old password for the passphrase and that didn't work. So now my only other thought was that it wants the old password from back 3 yrs ago that my laptop was under. Which I don't remember and can't find that I had it hidden somewhere either.
Thank you very much for replying to my question.
Have good weekend

ckida

ckida

I do think that it is kind of odd to ask for a passphrase. I believe that I remember thinking about that when I had first seen it and thinking, I don't need that. My passwords are encrypted anyway, and I have another app for that that I have had for the past 5 yrs....
This is just another headache for me. I like Opera, it's stable no matter how many tabs that I have open. I believe that Opera Mini finally cut me off from opening anymore tabs, so I know that I have well over a 100. I was nearing the 200 mark.

But Firefox uses only one login and password, and I have 4 of their apps on my phone with 100+ tabs opened and synced per program. So I have a list of 400+ tabs that are opened on my cell. However with the Firefox apps, you start getting near 100 tabs being opened, and it starts crashing on you. Thus the 4 Mozilla apps. lol But Opera mini has close to 200 opened right now and I still don't have any issues. That is except for the dang passphrase. I really didn't want to have to start over from scratch all over again.

leocg

leocg Moderator Volunteer @ckida

Did you change your OS password?

sgunhouse

sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer

If he completely reinstalled his OS - to the point of needing to recreate the user account - then the actual password used wouldn't matter. If you have to recreate the account then your locally-stored passwords would be unreadable. Not that it should matter to Sync.