Recently I’ve been increasingly more worried about losing my core data. Mostly source code, pictures and some data. Plus the edited home video. Basically the private stuff that one cannot “always download again from the Internet”.
For the source code and a few basic data files, I decided to gather everything under a home directory, so that I can keep track of everything.
because I modify those files both at work and at home, keeping track of the changes has become a bit too time consuming.
To synchronize everything I’ve been looking into the rsynch utility, of Unix origin, which is available under cygwin. It seems useful, but still requires some learning.
I’ve also been thinking of keeping all home dir under subversion (files versioning system). To do that though, I’d need to run a subversion server at home. Definitely something that takes its time to setup properly. Also that would mean that I’d still have to keep relying on my home-server, something I’m trying to avoid. However, the home server really matters if I care to keep track of the files history, otherwise, if the server goes down, I suppose I could make a new repository on a new server, as long as I have the most recent files.. which is the thing I really care about.

Another issue that keeps me thinking is wether to keep writing on here (blogger.com) or move back to kazzuya.com, my very own site, originally intended as a diary anyway, and that I’ve been neglecting for the past couple of years.
Of kazzuya.com I like better the hierarchical comments structure (especially since I coded it 8). The nuisance is that at one point I will have to tidy everything up. It’s my site, with my PHP code, and my database structure.. all built to barely work, without a proper backup and restore plan. Basically, my paranoia of losing data has been pushing me towards public and reliable solutions (much like I ditched POP mail in favor of GMail).
Speaking of losing data: DO NOT BUY MAXTOR HARD DRIVERS, THEY ARE CRAP !!! I’ve lost an 80GB one I think, then a 250, now another 250 is dying a slow death. Maxtor hard-drives break very easily, they break for everyone. Just avoid them.
Now, back to the blogger vs kazzuya issue. Another problem with blogger.com (not really it fault) is that my friends in China cannot access it. That’s right, blogger.com is one of those domains censored by the Chinese government. ..kind of funny, kind of sad !

Posted by Davide Pasca in Uncategorized