@Mike - I don’t use this script myself, but it is handy for users. Rsync is the way to go if you know how to use it. I have a similar process where my entire home directory is rsync’ed with he server every night. You can automate some cool things behind the scenes with rsync.

In the event of disaster, all you have you do is unzip it and replace the files in their original location in your ~/Library folder.

OK, Tim, I could do better on the back up front, but I am getting there.

Also, I am doing OK on some things: eg my Address Book, iCal and memos/notes are synced/backed up via Mark/Space with my Tungsten e2 PDA which is in turn synced with Palm Desktop on my work computer (a Windows machine).

I mentioned before I have just started using Super Duper: the only thing which I think Apple’s Backup does better is write backups to CDs/DVDs .. incl the ability to span multiple disks.

Will Time Machine be part of Leopard, or will we have to pay for an .Mac account to get it? Will Time Machine be backwards compatible with Backup?

So many questions…. :-)

Steve

‘Alot of good stuff in this post.

* Backing up: I am now backing up using SuperDuper (after wasting money on a .Mac account partly to get ‘Backup’) and a Lacie external drive. I still don’t have this backup routine automated (but it does include all user files, incl Mail), and I still don’t have remotely -stored (recent) copies.

*Don’t check email for the first hour or two. Good advice for me as I have an email addiction. I check email straight away at home and at work, and also feel I need to respond to everything/everyone’s requests.

* The delete key is your friend. Yep, I hoard too much… (But other people find this habit of mine useful.. :-)

Good stuff, Tim! Keep up the good work,

Steve

External firewire drive - for example:

http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?pid=10383

Every week or so:

1. Connect.

2. (Optionally) clean up those extra files Mac Os X has an unfortunate _penchant_ for:

sudo find / -name \.DS_Store -exec rm -f {} \;

sudo find / -name \.localized -exec rm -f {} \;

… or not, as you wish.

3. Issue command:

rsync -aE –delete ~ /Volumes/Whatever_name_I_assigned_to_my_backup_drive/Backups

4. eject … and …

5. (Optionally) move to a safe place - fireproof safe, if you’ve got one.

That will have backed up your _entire_ home area, including not only mail stores and addresses, but also documents, preference files and user-installed applications in ~/Applications.

I tend to export the address book from within the application _as well_ (File > Back up Address Book), as one would for other files such as browser bookmarks, and save that on a USB key, such as this:

http://www.sandisk.com/Products/Catalog(1013)-USB_Flash_Drives.aspx

But, yeah, to repeat … rsync is your friend.