Does anyone use www.protectmyphotos.com?

[sdewenter]

I could swear I posted this yesterday and have been searching the forum for my original post and any answers...I apologize, but I can't find the post. I have spent about 30 minutes looking for it. So, I am going to try again.

I signed up for protectmyphotos.com today, it is a 40.00 per year subscription and it automatically searches for new photos, even just new versions of photos and automatically saves them to their online storage. You can view images directly from their site...............

IF THE SITE IS UP AND RUNNING...WHICH IT IS NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I think the joke is on me! I am going to call VISA and dispute the charge.

I do really like the idea of automatic online storage. I would like not to have to try and remember if I backed up a photo or not...but maybe that just isn't the best route to go.

Another company is carbonite.com, they back up everything to an online storage site. My husband didn't like that idea as much, so I went with the photos only option. But again...I don't think it works, as I have been trying to just access their website and can not.

I do have an external hard drive, but often worry about that crashing...but also, like I said, I have to be diligent in remembering to back up...which so far, I am not!

Any suggestions, input and advice would be very much appreciate...provided I can find my post later!!

[LeeOtsubo]

I've never had a high level of confidence in on-line storage and this one sounds even less credible. I've been involved with 2 startup companies that offered on-line storage services and neither was successful because people have more "stuff" than they can ever sort through to know what to store. Remember Fibber McGee's closet, that's what today's disk drive have become.

If I understand the concept correctly, you're going to let perfect strangers rummage around in your closet, in your absence, to decide what they're going to move to a different site? In the best case, how do you know that they'll actually be able to find your files when you want them. Many of these systems are designed to restore entire folders and volumes. What happens when you want just 1 photo. Can they find it or do you have to restore the entire volume. If you restore everything, does it protect new things you've added since the backup point. In the worst case, how do you know these people aren't looking through your files and picking up personal data that they can sell to spammers and telemarketers.

The technical side isn't much better. I have about 100GB of photos plus another 100GB of backup. Let's assume you only have 1GB. With cable, it will take over 3 hours to backup your photos. If you have 10GB, that jumps up to 31 hours. Let's assume they compress data. Will the photos look as good after they're uncompressed and restored?

If you want automatic backup and you already have an external HD, use a program like PCBackup (http://www.migosoftware.com/store/pc-backup.html?SourceID=PCBUHM) to automatically BU everything while you're asleep. It's so simple even a caveman could do it. :D (I don't want to hear any complaints from Neanderthals!)

[rtronick]

Could be that their were offline for maintenance or server problems, but their back online now.

http://www.protectmyphotos.com/home?l=en.us


Randy T

[LeeOtsubo]

Reputable companies put up a "Down for Maintenance" homepage so customers know what's happening.

[kimh]

Lee, thanks for pointing out those 'possibilities' with those sites.
Will look into your recommended program after work this evening.
Kimh

[baycruisers]

My $.02 (or less) worth:

In this day of cheap, portable hard drive storage I'm not sure it's cost effective or necessary to resort to an online storage service. I think the main advantage is for someone who does not or cannot carry a portable storage device or who doesn't want to have to. For example, if one is traveling and would like to access photos or other data from an Internet cafe in a foreign country and who doesn't want to lug a laptop. There are probably other scenarios where online storage makes sense (such as a business that wants to back up critical info) or storage that would be unaffected by fire or natural disaster.

My current computer is almost 4 years old and as soon as Vista comes out with it's first service pack, I'm buying a new machine. I don't trust my hard drive not to poop out before that so I save ALL critical info on two external hard drives: a 300 GB Maxtor that I leave permanently connected via USB, and a 160 GB Western Digital Passport portable that I carry to and from work and use as redundant storage of photos and music I listen to at work. The two of them cost me about $350 total and would probably be cheaper now and larger capacities are common. Overall, the cost per gigabyte continues to fall. While one of them could fail, the odds of both failing simultaneously are too small to consider since they're rarely connected simultaneously. It also means that when I upgrade this computer all I'll have to do is plug and play.

There is some effort and thought into making sure I keep the two drives synchronized, but it's not too bad. Certainly better than the anguish of losing priceless pix.

[sdewenter]

OMG Lee...I just could kick myself for not checking on the forum before doing something so stupid. I was on a different forum and saw an add and clicked it and read the add, they had a great, interactive tutorial on getting started, etc. It all looked so awesome...I bought it hook line and sinker!

I think it would be best if I back up to my external hard drive and concentrate on finding a program to utilize what I already have. I would like something that allows me to program it to automatically back up at certain intervals. Any ideas?

Also, thanks for steering me in the right direction...it is nice to have someone who has researched stuff and can guide a novice like me!

Thanks, Susan

I've never had a high level of confidence in on-line storage and this one sounds even less credible. I've been involved with 2 startup companies that offered on-line storage services and neither was successful because people have more "stuff" than they can ever sort through to know what to store. Remember Fibber McGee's closet, that's what today's disk drive have become.

If I understand the concept correctly, you're going to let perfect strangers rummage around in your closet, in your absence, to decide what they're going to move to a different site? In the best case, how do you know that they'll actually be able to find your files when you want them. Many of these systems are designed to restore entire folders and volumes. What happens when you want just 1 photo. Can they find it or do you have to restore the entire volume. If you restore everything, does it protect new things you've added since the backup point. In the worst case, how do you know these people aren't looking through your files and picking up personal data that they can sell to spammers and telemarketers.

The technical side isn't much better. I have about 100GB of photos plus another 100GB of backup. Let's assume you only have 1GB. With cable, it will take over 3 hours to backup your photos. If you have 10GB, that jumps up to 31 hours. Let's assume they compress data. Will the photos look as good after they're uncompressed and restored?

If you want automatic backup and you already have an external HD, use a program like PCBackup (http://www.migosoftware.com/store/pc-backup.html?SourceID=PCBUHM) to automatically BU everything while you're asleep. It's so simple even a caveman could do it. :D (I don't want to hear any complaints from Neanderthals!)

[apemjackson]

I use Mozy and love the service and yes i can restore a single photo if i need to www mozy com

[LeeOtsubo]

OMG Lee...I just could kick myself for not checking on the forum before doing something so stupid. I was on a different forum and saw an add and clicked it and read the add, they had a great, interactive tutorial on getting started, etc. It all looked so awesome...I bought it hook line and sinker!


Let's not hyperventilate. As an engineer, I tend to look at worst case scenarios. You didn't do anything stupid, you just didn't do enough research. As my friend used to say, "Keep and open mind but not so open that your brain falls out."

Try PCBackup from http://www.migosoftware.com/ (currently down for maintenance). You can also buy PCBackup at many brick & mortar stores.

[sdewenter]

Thanks Lee, I re-read your earlier post and saw the link you put in there. I have already checked it out and think it looks promising! Thanks for the tip!
Susan D

[Wendy]

Hi ...

I did a search on this company earlier today and they do seem to have been around for quite a while ... also they are mentioned on quite a few sites. I didn't see any adverse comments about them at all ...

Wendy