MEUNIER LEE on tue 19 apr 11
=3D0A=3DA0=3D0AThanks, AManda.=3DA0 Perfectly understood and I've only=3D0A=
>been usin=3D
g computers since '84.... that's not a joke...=3D0A>nor sarcasm.=3DA0 Key w=
ord =3D
is "using," not particularly=3D0A>trying to understand what's happening.=3D=
A0 T=3D
hen when I=3D0A>decided I needed to, there was no time for formal=3D0A>trai=
ning=3D
... nor did I want to learn a lot of the extraneous=3D0A>information that c=
om=3D
es from profs needing to flesh=3D0A>out their programs so they can compete =
wi=3D
thin their=3D0A>departments.=3D0A>=3D0A>Thank you for taking the time.=3DA0=
I'm sur=3D
e many other=3D0A>claybuds who have been around since the beginnings=3D0A>o=
f Cl=3D
ayart will benefit as much as I.=3D0A>=3D0A>In appreciation,=3D0A>=3D0A>Joy=
ce=3D0A>In=3D
the Mojave desert of California U.S.A.=3D0A>=3D0A>=3D0A>=3D0A>=3D0A_______=
__________=3D
_______________=3D0AFrom: Amanda =3D0A>To: Clayart@L=
SV.C=3D
ERAMICS.ORG=3D0A>Sent: Mon, April 18, 2011 2:44:08 PM=3D0A>Subject: Carboni=
te, =3D
Mac vs PC and Backing up your computer=3D0A>=3D0A>Hey. Friendly Geek Potter=
com=3D
ing in to make some sweeping suggestions again. =3D0A>As with all my advice=
, =3D
take it/leave it... whatev. Its a public service I'm =3D0A>making. =3D0A>=
=3D0A>=3D
=3D0A>PC vs Mac really no longer matters. There is little that can't go bet=
we=3D
en the =3D0A>two, and in terms of reliability, Macs go down all the time an=
d =3D
Mac users have, =3D0A=3D0A>I'm sure, bled out waiting in the Apple stores f=
or s=3D
ervice. PC users have more =3D0A>control over their PC, and thus have more =
is=3D
sues. Its a mixed bag. I run both. =3D0A>=3D0A>But the best part is this: t=
here=3D
is no longer any reason to tote around external =3D0A>=3D0A>hard drives, r=
aid =3D
1 arrays, thumb drives or burning of CDs, DVDs or BlueRays for =3D0A>=3D0A>=
back=3D
up. =3D0A>=3D0A>WHAT IS "THE CLOUD"=3D0A>We're used to buying software or h=
ardwar=3D
e, bringing it home, unwrapping it, =3D0A>and using it tied to one computer=
. =3D
Windows, or a zip drive, for instance. =3D0A>Instead of bringing something =
ho=3D
me and having it physically, you're renting a =3D0A>service that exists som=
ew=3D
here online. But because its online, it will follow you =3D0A>=3D0A>everywh=
ere =3D
and always be accessible. Think of it as a cloud, always overhead, =3D0A>wh=
er=3D
ever you go. =3D0A>=3D0A>Reasons you should be backing up your computer in =
the =3D
cloud: =3D0A>-its cheap (services are monthly, or you pay for the amount yo=
u'=3D
re uploading)=3D0A>-its easy (set up is generally quick and then it's hands=
o=3D
ff, just does it for =3D0A>you)=3D0A>-its safe (more below). =3D0A>=3D0A>Re=
asons no=3D
t to back up to the cloud: =3D0A>-you're an idiot=3D0A>-no consistent wirel=
ess=3D
=3D0A>=3D0A>SECURITY=3D0A>The problem most people will experience is a hard=
drive=3D
going down, because =3D0A>ALL hard drives do, regardless of macs or pcs. I=
n =3D
that case, its not like you =3D0A>can =3D0A>=3D0A>use your computer anyways=
, so i=3D
ts not neccesary to have an external HD right =3D0A>there. Having info in t=
he=3D
cloud means you could go to ANOTHER computer and =3D0A>use it from there. =
=3D
=3D0A>=3D0A>When not a HD issue, its next likely to be a "stolen computer" =
issu=3D
e. In which =3D0A>case, online backup is secure because you don't want the =
th=3D
ief to have your =3D0A>information or files, but you would like them when y=
ou=3D
get a new computer. =3D0A>=3D0A>Fire/water damage/heat/frost/armageddon: i=
f so=3D
mething happens to your home, =3D0A>it will happen to the hard drive sittin=
g =3D
next to your computer as well as your =3D0A>computer. For instance: two guy=
s =3D
were on the flight that landed in the Hudson. =3D0A>One backed everything u=
p =3D
to a thumb drive... which also drowned. One backed =3D0A>everything up to t=
he=3D
cloud. He was able to recover everything. =3D0A>=3D0A>HOW TO BACK UP TO TH=
E CL=3D
OUD=3D0A>The first step to consider is, should I back things up to the clou=
d,=3D
or just =3D0A>create them IN the cloud to begin with? For instance, stop u=
si=3D
ng Microsoft =3D0A>Word and storing documents on your hard drive, and write=
t=3D
hem in Google =3D0A>Documents instead (accessible from Gmail) and then they=
'r=3D
e ALWAYS available. =3D0A>Same for Quicken. Why buy the software when there=
's=3D
an online version you =3D0A>can use? And excel, and almost anything except=
a=3D
proprietary program. And if =3D0A>you're using anything other than gmail o=
r =3D
google apps for email, let us return =3D0A>to =3D0A>=3D0A>the "you're an id=
iot" b=3D
ulletpoint. Even if you're a diehard Outlook fan, you can =3D0A>=3D0A>still=
pul=3D
l in from Gmail and you'll never lose your email again. =3D0A>=3D0A>But let=
s sa=3D
y you still have files, there are a number of options. Mozy. =3D0A>Carbonit=
e.=3D
LiveDrive. Amazon S3 , IDrive. Its important to understand how they =3D0A>=
wo=3D
rk.=3DA0 Here's a recent review of a few services by PCMag: =3D0A>http://ww=
w.pc=3D
mag.com/article2/0,2817,2288745,00.asp=3D0A>=3D0A>Most services only back u=
p ex=3D
actly what you ask them to. For instance, you =3D0A>can ask them to back up=
a=3D
photo folder, or a music folder. To really, truly =3D0A>attain the best ba=
ck=3D
ups, you need to understand where files on your computer =3D0A>are stored. =
I'=3D
ll segue into PCs here, because Macs have a proprietary backup =3D0A>system=
t=3D
hat you should ABSOLUTELY use. =3D0A>=3D0A>PCs store information in a few p=
lace=3D
s, but they're always on C. Some backup =3D0A>programs allow you to just ba=
ck=3D
up C, but most don't, for this reason. Since =3D0A>your programs are also s=
to=3D
red on C, they're in use and fluctuating too much, =3D0A>holding up the bac=
ku=3D
p. You should, of course backup your documents, but =3D0A>what else should =
yo=3D
u backup? =3D0A>=3D0A>-your downloads folder=3D0A>-your desktop =3D0A>-your=
.pst fi=3D
le for outlook, if you insist on using it=3D0A>-your favorites file from yo=
ur=3D
web browser=3D0A>-"my music" and "my pictures and "my videos"=3D0A>=3D0A>S=
ome of=3D
these files are really hidden, like your PST file. Google where to find =
=3D
=3D0A=3D0A>them and be sure you're backing them up. =3D0A>=3D0A>WHICH SERVI=
CE SHOUL=3D
D I USE?=3D0A>Myself, I use online backup for 2 reasons, and only one is CY=
A.=3D
The other is =3D0A>that I want accessibility to my data from other compute=
rs=3D
.... if I need a file =3D0A>on =3D0A>=3D0A>my desktop, and I'm on my laptop=
, or I=3D
am away from home and need a file.... =3D0A>so I chose LiveDrive after try=
in=3D
g a few other services. I had used Memeo, and =3D0A>found it was hanging up=
a=3D
ll too often. I tried Carbonite and was just WOWED at =3D0A>how slow it was=
. =3D
I did the 17 day trial and it STILL hadn't backed up my =3D0A>computer at t=
he=3D
end of the trial, and consumed a ton of resources. LiveDrive, =3D0A>which =
i =3D
tried on a whim, works quietly in the background, is fast as lightning =3D0=
A>=3D
and has an online interface that allows me to get to files from any interne=
=3D
t =3D0A>connection. Infact, it even has an iphone app to get to docs. =3D0A=
>=3D0A=3D
>Now... some services, like Amazon S3, are gaining a lot of traction becaus=
=3D
e it =3D0A>has an easy interface and will act as a music player too. Those =
fe=3D
atures are =3D0A>new, I haven't tried it yet because its so new, but Amazon=
S=3D
3 has been around =3D0A>a while and its what every major company uses for c=
lo=3D
ud based processing =3D0A>power. its solid and cheap. =3D0A>=3D0A>Your dete=
rminat=3D
ion will come down to a few factors: how MUCH do you have to =3D0A>back up,=
a=3D
nd HOW do you need to access the backup? Many services base =3D0A>pricing o=
n =3D
how much you store, so if you have a lot, you want a service with =3D0A>unl=
im=3D
ited uploads (like livedrive, which is $25/mo) or Amazon S3 which is really=
=3D
=3D0A>=3D0A>cheap. =3D0A>=3D0A>Hopefully, this helps and will spur everyon=
e to run=3D
, RIGHT now and get their =3D0A>information backed up online and toss the e=
xt=3D
ernal hard drive.=3D0A>=3D0A
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