PC vs. Mac

[ScottTousignant]

Stephen, I hope that you are backing up your information regularly. Do you have an external hard drive or any other back up system?

I haven't had a single issue with my Mac during since buying it 12 months ago.

[StephenT]

Oh Scott! You ask me the question i don't want to answer!! No, I don't have an external hard drive. I keep saying I will get one, but never seem to get there. I back up on disks and that is so tedious I can only make myself do it about once every three or four months! Hence, I have lost everything several times!

[ScottTousignant]

Oh boy! I've been there and learned the hard way. It took me a few times, but all those wasted hours and losing loads of content just crushed me.

Oh... the cool thing about Mac's is the Time Machine feature where it will back up your computer. I've still got an external hard drive to back up some of my really important stuff.

[Lynn Terry]

Stephen,

At the very least, get Mozy: http://www.clicknewz.com/1159/free-remote-backup/

You can get 2 gigs of automated backup FREE, or unlimited for only $4.95. I've had to do a total restore twice now and it works like a dream. Less than five bucks a month is great insurance on my data!

[StephenT]

I looked at mosey, but decided it was too much. The free 2 gigs was not enough for what I wanted and they said it was 4.95 per month plus .50 per gig. I figured it would cost a lttle over $300 per year. I could by a Really nice external hard drive for that. I just have to go get it?

[Lynn Terry]

That's for MozyPro - you can get MozyHome for 4.95/mo Unlimited storage.

If you go with an external hard drive, you have to remember to use it and you need to store it off site or at the very least in a fireproof safe. You also need duplicate copies for redundant backup, in case one drive fails on you.

The reason I use Mozy is because if my house burns down or blows away, I can go to Wal-Mart and pick up a cheap laptop... get a hotel room with wireless internet access, and restore my files - and be back in business in under an hour.

[RichAvery]

I agree with Scott - I LOVE the Time Machine. The back ups just run in the background a few times a day and I never have to think about them!

Stephen, the Mac does have an online service called MobileMe. I just did my annual renewal but can't recall the cost - maybe $79 a year. It provides online storage and access to your email, calendar, and address book. And it has a feature called "iDisk" where you can save/store any documents, photos, songs that you want.

[StephenT]

Thanks everybody! Lots to think about, but I do need to get my stuff backed up!

[StephenT]

That's for MozyPro - you can get MozyHome for 4.95/mo Unlimited storage.

In looking at Mozyhome, it says for non-commercial. Do we qualify as non-commercial? Are they talking brick and morter business as opposed to home based or what? I just don't want to suddenly get changed for $1000 of back fees or something.

[CoryZ]

I switched to Mac and then switched back to PC. The primary reason was frustration that everything required "major brain surgery" to fix. DVD died, lose computer for hours/days to fix. Hard drive dead? Lose computer for a couple of days.

In the corporate world, I was using PC laptops. Either problem was easily fixed because of modular components that just swapped out. Not by waiting days and pretending that was normal.

For me the software was fine, but paying more for frustration lost me as a customer.