Built-in back-up software:
Please see the info on Apple's web site about the "Time Machine"
back-up software built into the forthcoming Mac OS 10.5 "Leopard".
Built-in back-up hardware:
"Time Machine" will use a user provided external hard drive. Adding
the software gives the Mac OS a competitive advantage. Adding the
hardware, and therefore needing to increase the price of the
computer, would give Apple a competitive disadvantage; so they leave
that purchasing decision to the consumer.
Alvin
Tony,
Sounds good, but I'd have to first learn what you are talking about
and how to do it :)
After reading your response and Mike's this thought occurred to me:
Everyone who seems to know much about computers seems to advise that
everyone regularly back up their computer. The same for running
antivirus, spyware, adware and whatever else I'm leaving out or not
aware of. Yet I believe I've heard the stat that only a fairly
small minority of users (not speaking of businesses) actually back
up regularly, not to mention doing the other important security
things (spyware, etc.) The figure 20% of users doing regular back
ups comes to mind, though not sure where I heard this or how
accurate it is.
Nevertheless, if regular backing up is something that everyone who
owns and uses a computer should be doing, regardless of their
technical expertise, why isn't backing up - the hardware and the
software - a built in function of the computer itself? Or are there
some computers that actually do this? I envision a modular set up
with a back up drive that could easily be removed, which could also
maybe make extra copies for separate storage at the same time onto
DVDS, CDS. I also envision the back up function running
automatically as a default (or as automatically as possible, say,
every day at least) and that before each back up, built in
anti-virus software, spyware, adware, whatever-else ware software
would be run on the info to be backed up, so a clean backup would be
likely. Maybe even some diagnostic exam to see if one is about to
back up corrupted or damaged files, etc. If backing up or checking
for spyware are important if not essential functions that should be
performed regularly, they should be built in as part of the computer
to the extent feasible, IMO.
Is this asking too much or somehow unrealistic? It just seems to me
that if something should be done as a regular part of using a
computer, why not build it in and make it as easy and as automatic
to use as possible, for all levels of users? So if someone wants,
take my idea and go make millions on it; just remember me and send
me a small royalty if you don't mind! I realize most PC makers
don't usually also develop software for their computers, but maybe
Apple could do this or maybe more PC makers could and should start
producing an integrated, whole product.
Could the fact that Apple develops both its software and its
hardware be part of why it is generally considered a better product?
Knowing little about the technical aspects of any of this, it
intuitively seems like it designing an integrated product - hardware
and software (including my back up module :)) - would more likely
avoid glitches and produce a better product. Just wondering.
I wonder if companies like Apple, Microsoft or PC developers ever
hire novices or average users to give them feedback on what is
needed or desirable in their products or if they basically only get
the perspective and feedback of techies, programmers, and
experienced users? From my perspective, computers and everything
about them (still) seem unnecessarily complex and complicated,
though admittedly this is based just on PCs.
I do realize it is the American way to have endless choices and
options for each of these things - ways of backing up, spyware,
anti-virus, firewalls, adware, ISPS, email program, this program,
that program, etc. However, for myself, and I suspect many, maybe
most, average or novice users, all these choices simply add too much
complexity, too many decisions, too many things to think about as
far as whether they work with each other program or each piece of
hardware, leading to the requirement of spending too much time and
energy (mental and otherwise). Perhaps those who are much more
knowledgeable about all of this like having so many options, but I
think many users, myself included, would simply like a computer that
works reliably, with as much of this stuff being pre-packaged and
automated as possible. We would like it to be more like buying a
new car, where what you need and want, as much as possible, comes
with the car, not programs or hardware that you have to make
decisions about and purchase subsequent to purchasing the car. The
goal should be an integrated product and simplicity, not unnecessary
fragmentation and thus unnecessary complexity.
I also realize such complexity does create jobs for some who like
and have mastered much of it, but I'm speaking as a simple user who
wants to spend more time using the computer as a tool or a means
than time, energy and money making sure this tool is working
properly. Of course all tools need to maintained, but the
maintenance shouldn't equal or exceed the utility of the tool in the
first place! And, of course, we could say much the same thing for
all the other ever-changing technological gadgets and gizmos that
are out there and which are being constantly developed.
Okay, rant over.
Randall
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tony B" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 10:06 PM
Subject: Re: [CGUYS] back up question: what to back up and what
doesn't need backing up?
I do daily incremental ghosts of my small C: partition. Also to a
second hard drive, but I mounted mine internally. Additionally, a
monthly full image is put on alternate DVDs and one is kept
off-premises.
I can restore the image and get back to where I was the previous
evening, and I've done that once.
On another occasion I had reason to suspect a trojan, so instead I
formatted C:, installed WinXP clean, then just restored personal files
from the image as I needed them.
Obviously, to pull off this scheme you need to partition your C: drive
small, like 10-15G. That's enough to hold all your Documents folder
(if you don't cram junk videos/music in there), and many commonly used
apps.
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