I would not normally comment, but the trees are getting in the way of the forest here.
- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Stop backing up stuff you do not need; we are digital hoarders!
- Do not use software that will not run on current hardware and supported operating systems. If you do, your world is already broken, and you cannot see it.
- If your backup is not automatic, you do not have a backup, and your risk level is elevated. It also goes for testing restores that NOBODY does; I’m just saying!
- How many times do we have to repeat: SYNC is NOT BACKUP!
- Understand what risks you are trying to mitigate before you develop a strategy.
- Do not use a shotgun when you only need a fly swatter. AKA scale your tools to your risk.
- Do not create digital records that add risk to your world
- Do Not Panic!
By the way, this shit is a lot more complex than most of us think. We do not know how to estimate or evaluate risk, let alone mitigate it. These words are not needed past me finishing this post. The nice people at TidBits will do what they do with them on their servers and in their time. Done Finished, Move On. If I felt my words here were of long-term importance, I would not be typing them into this terrible forum software posting system. I would write locally using a plain text editing tool on my computer. So there is no risk of having the internet crash, my house burn down, or me dumping my drink on the keyboard. This text is ephemeral!
If I wanted this text safe, I would type it into IA Writer, which saves the file locally. The IA writer will then sync that file for my use on other devices. Time Machine will back this Mac in the next hour, and sometime today, Pcloud will take the data and store it in an offshore data center (I bet you did not see that risk coming.)
Saving a file in plain text mitigates the risk of custom software going away. If I have the file, I can view or edit it on almost any computer in the past 30 years. If that file was saved in some custom format, then I am at the mercy of the software vendor.
When I take a picture of something on my iPhone, the software saves that image to the “hard drive” on my phone. Then Apple Photos syncs that photo to iCloud. As a risk management strategy, I have Google Photos automatically send that same image to their service. Apple then syncs that photo to my Mac, Time Machine, and Pcloud to back that up. Can you count the failure points? Have I mitigated the risk of losing that photo well enough? I feel pretty good about it. But wait… What was that photo? Is there a risk of having that photo around?
Simple example. I take a picture of my driver’s license on my iPhone to put it in a “secure” place in my digital filing system for an upcoming trip. How can I remove that sensitive document from all the places it has traveled to? Unintended consequences!
I could go on, but I have made my point about data risks.
In closing, pay for services that protect your most important data with reasonable care. iCloud backup and sync are pretty darn good. A Chromebook and Google Services are also pretty good.
Bob
PS I copied this into IA Writer!