Re:Microsoft/Danger lose Sidekick user data in server failure
by wrinklz on Sunday October 11, 2009 @05:14AM
(#874557)
The reluctance of some people to back up their online data is a testament to the general dependability of online services. More screwups like this one, or like Magnolia recently, can only serve to scare folks from "the cloud", or teach them to back it up.
Re:Microsoft/Danger lose Sidekick user data in server failure
by joe_the_user on Sunday October 11, 2009 @08:43PM
(#875633)
Uh,
"Data Liberation", as in educated users, is the solution.
You back up your data because no cares as much about your data as you do (repeat...). It's like basic hygene. In the future, few people will be actual computer experts but everyone will know a few things. Backing up data will be one of them. A large enough density of people who understand this will mean those who will lack excuses - see main story!
Re:Microsoft/Danger lose Sidekick user data in server failure
by paul9290 on Sunday October 11, 2009 @07:02PM
(#875479)
I back up my Gmail by forwarding it to other providers (Yahoo, Comcast). If Gmail fails and loses all my data, it's in my comcast and yahoo account. If they both fail then ok Im screwed, but the Internet I hope would have to melt down if all three of these systems failed simultaneously.
Giving users the ability to make backups of their data certainly does not mean they will actually do so. How many Gmail users actually keep full backups of their email (using POP or IMAP or whatever)? And if Gmail had a case of massive data loss tomorrow, do you really think saying "well, you could've made a backup just fine" would have somehow made everything okay?
I don't deny that this sort of data loss is pretty awful, but "data liberation" is not the solution.