[X Newbies] Backup Software (Was: Partitioning Drive?)

[Florin Alexander Neumann]

On Wednesday, May 21, 2003, at 13:44 Canada/Eastern, Randy B. Singer 
wrote:

> Florin Alexander Neumann said:
>
>> What do you use for regular backups? The pickings are fairly slim on
>> the Mac, so I recommend Retrospect, which has a decent track record 
>> (if
>> worse than miserable tech support).
>
> Just a point of fact.  The pickings for backup software on OS X are not
> even close to "slim."  See:

Well, let's see:

> With a .Mac subscription you get a copy of Backup:
> http://www.mac.com/

Requires .mac subscription for full functionality. Disqualified.

> Retrospect

The only serious solution for a Mac user. Rather imperfect -- it has 
unexpected bugs and dismal tech support (don't let me get started!), 
but, as the French say, faute de mieux, on couche...

> Intego's Personal Back-Up

A possible alternative to Retrospect. I tested it, didn't like it, but 
it may get better. A good thing too -- nothing works like a little 
competition to spice things up.

> Carbon Copy Cloner

Good tool, but not really a backup tool.

> iMsafe $15

Doesn't do optical, let alone tape.

> Revival

[Your link is broken, and so appear to be links in other places, like 
MacUpdate. Does anyone know what happened to this one?]

> Synchronize! Pro X

Again, doesn't do optical. Otherwise, it could be a possible 
alternative to Retrospect -- although, at twice the price, not much of 
a competitor.

> Synk X

[Your links are broken.] Another sync'ing tool, not really backup. No 
longer under development, so who knows if it will work with the next 
release of the OS?

> Tri-BACKUP

Didn't know about this one. Sounds like worth trying -- although it's 
not clear from the promo if it does optical. Has anyone tested it?

> BackupToolkit

This also is worth looking at, and FWB has an excellent reputation. Has 
anyone tested it?

> LaCie SilverKeeper

Lightweight. I suspect LaCie is making it available for free until they 
build enough muscle into it. Right now, not in the running.

> Psync, SwitchBack, Folders Synchronizer X, Chronosync

All synchronizers, not really backup tools. There are quite a few 
synchronizers out there (we can add ExecutiveSync, FileSynchronization, 
and so on), and they can be used for some backup purposes, but -- in my 
opinion -- do not replace true backup tools. Back when the world was 
young and 500MB was a huge disk, I used to back up with a small, now 
defunct, shareware synchronizer called MacUpdate (the best value for $5 
I ever got). It worked like a charm. But omnia muntantur...

Morever, in this respect I'd rather not rely on a shareware tool. 
Shareware authors -- and some of their stuff is better than some 
offerings of 'reputable' companies -- simply do not have the resources 
for the kind of testing Dantz or FWB do (or should do).

So, what are we left with for serious consideration? Retrospect, Data 
Backup (I don't think you've mentioned this one -- it's from Prosoft 
Engineering 
<http://www.prosoftengineering.com/products/data_backup.php> and the 
one I like best after Retrospect), Backup Toolkit (from FWB), and 
perhaps Tri-Backup and Personal Backup. That seems to me pretty slim 
pickings, relative to the Windows market. (And, let's not forget, 
Microsloth doesn't require a subscription to MSN to activate the 
bundled backup utility.)

Believe me, I was so annoyed last time I talked to the guys from Dantz 
that I'd like nothing better than to switch (and recommend others to 
switch) from Retrospect to something else.

f