[AT] slightly off topic, computer related

[Spencer Yost]

Hey Charlie,

Everyone else has mentioned back up and drive/cloud options, but I'd like to suggest an organizational option. 

Virtually all software packages allow you to specify where the "default" location for data will reside.  More than 20 years ago I set every software package I use to use a subdirectory inside a single directory on the drive.   So I have a c:\data\Word, a c:\data\Quicken, C:\data\digitalphotos, etc.  This way I back up - or move to a new machine - one directory ( in my case c:\Data)

Interestingly, many packages store most of the configuration/password for the software inside the data files (think QuickBooks here), or alongside the data files (think word and it's templates here) so even your configuration and settings get backed up.   I recently set up a new PC, and I had my data moved  and the new software configured in about 25 minutes and my wife was using it like it was her old machine.  

I don't bother backing up the software itself.  It is easily rebuilt/reinstalled and doesn't really need to be backed up.

While I don't want to over-sell this, as there are always a few things you need to tweak on any new machine or restoration of data, this makes it super simple and you know where everything is.  The only exceptions are the things you  already noted, like bookmarks.  But even those i back up occasionally to c:\data

Haven't lost anything since my first PC in the 80s when I didn't do this.  My son was really bummed out when he had to start his math game from the very first level :-)

Good luck,

Spencer Yost


Spencer Yost