[Digikam-users] Last comments (?) on Carbonite & backing up

[Paul Verizzo]

I realize that one size does not fit all and Carbonite will not even be 
the first choice for Windows or Mac users.  (I forgot, it does work with 
Mac, too.)  Having said that, let me address some of the concerns 
mentioned about Carbonite and some similar services.

1.  Carbonite is a tiny program that once installed, is fully 
automatic.  That's the part I really love!  I don't have to remember to 
do anything.  New files are usually backed up in an hour or less.

2.  If $55/yr is too expensive, you can't afford photography. (In 50 
years of photography, I've noticed it attracts almost neurotic 
tightwads.  I know, I can fall into that!)

3.  I do not suggest entrusting all of my valuable data only to 
Carbonite, although it's probably more secure than having that extra 
hard drive on site.  Why? Because Carbonite, in turn, is backed up! 

4.  I can't begin to imagine worrying about security.  What, someone 
wants to copy my images?  My email?  It's all multi-encrypted anyway.  
I'll spend my worry time about my doors, not hackers to backup sites.

5.  Dropbox and similar schemes, while handy for their intended 
purposes, have limited storage and probably does not backup automatically. 

6.  Someone had speed concerns.  Why is this important?  The first time 
I put all my good stuff on Carbonite I had a slow DSL connection.  It 
took several weeks, 24/7.  So what?

7.  re CD/DVD: Why?  Even if you use rewritables and the method of them 
being seen as hard drives, they are subject to mis-handling, relatively 
expensive, and easily misplaced compare to off site storage. 

I mentioned at the start of this topic a garage fire in 1988 that left 
me with singed, almost burned family photos and slides, many hundreds of 
them.  The box they were in started burning but the Los Angeles Fire 
Department got there in time.  Some were damaged, some hardly at all.  
The fire episode was so depressing that I reboxed everything and set 
them aside through two moves and 23 years.  Just now am I going through 
them, and scanning them, not an option back at the time of the fire.  
Scan and backup. 

Never again.

Paul