It's crossed our minds. We have physical and cloud backups. The problem with the physical, disk-based backups is that they don't leave the building, so if there's a fire, so long backups. On the other hand, the odds are pretty slim that both the cloud and the physical backups will disappear at the same time. If that happens, I think there are more pressing problems, like the end of the world.
Digital information is VERY fragile, which is why there are tons of businesses out there who specialize in long term archival storage that have backups upon backups upon backups with people in charge of making sure that formats are changed when they are obsolete, that someone is monitoring security and many (if not all) of these places have disaster planning as well.
You may be surprised at how many companies have very "thin" disaster plans when it comes to records management, file archiving, etc... It is extremely hard to listen to "professionals" in major companies talk about how little disaster planning they have actually done or know how to do.
It's crossed our minds. We have physical and cloud backups. The problem with the physical, disk-based backups is that they don't leave the building, so if there's a fire, so long backups. On the other hand, the odds are pretty slim that both the cloud and the physical backups will disappear at the same time. If that happens, I think there are more pressing problems, like the end of the world.
Digital information is VERY fragile, which is why there are tons of businesses out there who specialize in long term archival storage that have backups upon backups upon backups with people in charge of making sure that formats are changed when they are obsolete, that someone is monitoring security and many (if not all) of these places have disaster planning as well.
You may be surprised at how many companies have very "thin" disaster plans when it comes to records management, file archiving, etc... It is extremely hard to listen to "professionals" in major companies talk about how little disaster planning they have actually done or know how to do.
I worked at Geeksquad. I am in no way surprised that people, whether individuals or companies run by individuals, are terrible about backup planning.
It's crossed our minds. We have physical and cloud backups. The problem with the physical, disk-based backups is that they don't leave the building, so if there's a fire, so long backups. On the other hand, the odds are pretty slim that both the cloud and the physical backups will disappear at the same time. If that happens, I think there are more pressing problems, like the end of the world.
Digital information is VERY fragile, which is why there are tons of businesses out there who specialize in long term archival storage that have backups upon backups upon backups with people in charge of making sure that formats are changed when they are obsolete, that someone is monitoring security and many (if not all) of these places have disaster planning as well.
You may be surprised at how many companies have very "thin" disaster plans when it comes to records management, file archiving, etc... It is extremely hard to listen to "professionals" in major companies talk about how little disaster planning they have actually done or know how to do.
Oh I'm sure they do. I just mean that Tim makes it sound like NO ONE has ever considered this happening, where that's simply not the case. Many, many professionals have. Of course, they haven't managed to convince everyone how awesome disaster planning and such is yet; in fact, I have a project this semester to do a disaster planning assessment for a local archive/library/museum and come up with a plan for them.
In a million years, what people are around wont remember anymore which planet we originally came from. The job of the archaeologist will have changed to one of data mining in a network of information so vast, that even a question like that can be lost. Eventually they'll narrow it down to the Sol system, but the debate over which one it is will continue unresolved, as they were all terraformed so long ago, that it's impossible to tell which one supported life first. A million years after that, those efforts, and their conclusions, will be very long forgotten.
When I go to people's houses for computer work, I'd say that 3 out of 4 have not backed up their important data or photos, they just assume their computer will run forever. It has gotten to the point lately where I am actually surprised when someone says they have an external drive and use it, or have things burned to CD's.
And here's another thing that will really make me mad. The zombie apocalypse, if it ever happens. More than likely, the people who keep the internet running and maintain Blizzards' Starcraft 2 and World of Warcraft servers will either get zombie-ified, or will have the mistaken illusion that their own survival is more important than keeping the internet up for me to play games and do things on!
I don't know what would be more stressful for me, having to be a survivor in the zombie apocalypse ( NO WAY am I going down easily!), or the sudden loss of internet access.
If it ever happens, I'm going to go to banks and stores and collect lots of money. Money will be pretty useless at that point, but I've never had stacks on stacks of cash and I'd like to see what it feels like.
In a million years, what people are around wont remember anymore which planet we originally came from. The job of the archaeologist will have changed to one of data mining in a network of information so vast, that even a question like that can be lost. Eventually they'll narrow it down to the Sol system, but the debate over which one it is will continue unresolved, as they were all terraformed so long ago, that it's impossible to tell which one supported life first. A million years after that, those efforts, and their conclusions, will be very long forgotten.
In a million years, what people are around wont remember anymore which planet we originally came from. The job of the archaeologist will have changed to one of data mining in a network of information so vast, that even a question like that can be lost. Eventually they'll narrow it down to the Sol system, but the debate over which one it is will continue unresolved, as they were all terraformed so long ago, that it's impossible to tell which one supported life first. A million years after that, those efforts, and their conclusions, will be very long forgotten.
Punch cards!?! I etch all my data into stone tablets and keep them in dry caves for safe keeping. Whenever I need to make new copies of my data I just use plaster of paris molds!
Punch cards!?! I etch all my data into stone tablets and keep them in dry caves for safe keeping. Whenever I need to make new copies of my data I just use plaster of paris molds!
Surely, that is the worst thing you can do. Plaster of paris is prone to errors in copying and erodes the original data surface.
I tried to store my data carved into the cave walls, but alas, all I hit when I dug into the ground was water. Silly Florida, and everything South of the Panhandle being built on reclaimed swampland.
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More accurately, they get recycled.
I don't know what would be more stressful for me, having to be a survivor in the zombie apocalypse ( NO WAY am I going down easily!), or the sudden loss of internet access.
If it ever happens, I'm going to go to banks and stores and collect lots of money. Money will be pretty useless at that point, but I've never had stacks on stacks of cash and I'd like to see what it feels like.