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I've been using Retrospect since version 1, Larry. Some find it a bit arcane, but I've never had a problem with it. As long as the backup media remains readable (13 year old DAT backups are a real treat) Retrospect has always come through for me when needed.
I will say that I find EMC's customer support policies downright Machiavellian. They don’t seem to realize that while EMC generally makes backup software for banks and other pro applications, many Retrospect users are just everyday Joes who need simple answers to simple questions that shouldn't require a $50 deposit after 90 days of ownership.
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I took a look at Prosoft's Data Backup, read the reviews, and glanced at the manual.
DB appears more user-friendly and intelligently explained than Retrospect Express, which is a boon. I'm tempted to spring for it myself, and forget about RE (haven't registered the OWC copy yet). As far as I can tell, it won't back up other users on a network, but neither will RE.
The big wildcard is Apple's Time Machine. Will an OS-based backup utility depress demand for DB and similar products, to the point where they vanish from the market?
From the Apple website, it looks like TM will do incremental backups, like Backup.app—not clear if it will have other options. If not, then there will still be a need for a more variegated utility like DB. Note: users doing incremental backups will have to weed frequently, or they'll quickly fill up your backup HD.
A while ago I asked about backup software, and several folks here recommended SuperDuper. It's a one-trick pony (cloning), but apparently does that very well. Is cloning enough backup for most people? Maybe—it certainly would be nice to have a bootable mirror of one's HD when it dies. Any more sophisticated backup generally reguires the orginal program to do a restore, right?
/Mr Lynn
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Without going into detail that could create problems... I do believe will still be needing a backup application to work in concert with Time Machine to fill in some of the gaps.
On the Prosoft Backup... we are considering offering it (full version) with our solutions to take the place of Retrospect Express.
We use Retrospect for our Network and it's great - but reaching a confirmed conclusion that it may not be solution for our average solution buyer who needs a reliable backup - but a backup app that doesn't intimidate use and thus defeat the whole purpose.
also a little bothered by their schedule of updating....
That's where this is heading.
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Hi Larry,
Yes, I understand that, and I wasn't "complaining" in the original post, it was just an observation. I am all fine with that. What bothered me is that even on the incremental backups, it will scan all the home folder to look for files that have changed, and apparently there are many thousands files in Library folder (inside the Home folder). These are small files, but it takes a long time to scan the whole folder. That's why I would like it to scan only Docs, Pics, Movies, etc. I do not want to waste time backing up the Library folder.
I will take a look at the other program you mentions, and hope that next time I buy something from your company, it will come with new software.
[quote OWC Larry]After the first backup - backups following just cover files that have changed - which is why first takes so long and and after it's quick.
[quote space-time]Scary stories here... I just started using Retrospect Express that came with my OWC DVD drive, to back up to an external FW drive, and now I have second thoughts about the whole thing...
First backup took about one hour, second (incremental) backup took only a few minutes, and restoring a few files (just as a test) seemed to work OK.
I choose to backup only the user folders (I don't need all the Apps and Libraries), but even in the user folders there is a lot of junk (another Lib folder with thousands little files). I wish Retrospect would let me choose which folders to backup, i.e. docs and pictures, not the entire home folder, but I couldn't figure out how to do that.
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I also set up a few coworkers with OWC external drives and Retrospect Express that came with the drives. I too absolutely hated it. I would not recommend it to anyone. Long time ago Teela told me about chronosync and I've used it ever since. Anything has got to be easier, with a better interface than Retrospect.
