.KEYWORD backupbuddy
.FLYINGHEAD PRODUCT REVIEW
.TITLE Cross-platform backup with Backup Buddy
.FEATURE
.SPOTLIGHT FIGALT backupbuddy-cover.gif
.SUMMARY To go forward, you must backup. So says the advertising for a leading desktop backup program. But the same is true for users of handheld devices. You live out of your PalmPilot and while you can backup your built-in applications using the Palm Desktop, there’s probably a lot of other information on your PalmPilot that needs to be safe. In this important article, contributing editor S. Fred Green (Fredlet) describes how the well-regarded Backup Buddy program can keep your Palm data safe and secure. Skip this article at your peril.
.AUTHOR S. Fred Green a.k.a. Fredlet
Ever have your Palm device freeze and then run your batteries down to nothing? Unfortunately, when your batteries go, the information on your Palm device goes as well.
That, my friends, is a real bummer.
When I had such a crash, in the times before I got my hands on Backup Buddy, I used to go back to my computer and load up all my miscellaneous applications, track down my preferences, rearrrange everything on my Palm organizer, blah, blah, blah. I really didn’t have a problem with the stuff that 3Com has in the desktop since it uses its own conduit, but I did have a problem with all the other stuff I installed. I’d have to hunt around and hope I hadn’t lost anything. Sometimes I would manage to get all my information back and sometimes, I would lose a bit, though most times I would find the missing file after tracking down some obscure database and reinstalling it.
.H1 Backup Buddy’s basic mode
There’s really nothing to installing and using Backup Buddy in basic mode. Install the .PRC file (15k) and then open the application on your Palm device. As you can see in Figure A, you have two choices: Active and Inactive. Move the selection to Active and perform a HotSync. That’s it. One important note: items that use their own conduits are not backed up with Backup Buddy. They really don’t need more than their own conduit anyway, so it’s not a big deal.
.FIG A This is Backup Buddy’s basic mode.
The first HotSync after installing Backup Buddy takes a bit longer than usual, but it’s not that long. If you want to customize your backup more than just the default setting there are several options available.
.H1 Advanced Backup Buddy
The Advanced option of Backup Buddy, shown in Figure B, allows you to select exactly what you want to backup. You can choose all the items on your Palm device, just the applications, just the databases or just the items that were modified. After you have everything nicely backed up, the authors point out that you should make a copy of the Backup Buddy directory on your computer.
.FIG B This is Backup Buddy’s Advanced mode.
Backup Buddy will also do an automatic backup. As long as you have your Palm device in your cradle at the specified time, you can set an "auto-sync" to backup your information. If you set the auto-sync to backup at night (the only time I can think of when I’m not using my Palm organizer — when I’m unconscious) you don’t have to even think about doing the sync. If you don’t have your Palm device in the cradle when the time rolls around for your scheduled sync, it will give up. Warning: keeping your Palm device in its cradle can drain batteries. So be careful.
.H1 QuickSync
Now that you have a full backup (it seems a bit of overkill to do this everyday, doesn’t it?), all you need to do is QuickSync. QuickSync installs a small patch that lets Backup Buddy know which files have been changed since the last time you performed a HotSync.
If you use a DOC application, every time you open a DOC file the time stamp changes. To avoid a longer backup than necessary, you can create Sets that include the files that don’t need to be backed up regularly. Sets are automatically excluded from QuickSyncs. Warning: make sure that you are careful using this feature. Because sets are excluded from QuickSyncs, you’ll need to remember to do a full backup eventually to make sure you don’t lose anything.
.H1 Restoring your Palm device
Restoring your Palm device is just as easy. First, make a copy of your directory on your computer, then perform a full backup and all the items are returned to your Palm device.
.H1 Choosing your backup solution
I like the fact that the application is easy and ready to use as soon as it’s installed. But those of us who have tons of obscure applications can also easily customize the backup on an as-needed basis. Kudos also to these guys for making both a Windows and Macintosh version for all the Palm device users out there at a very reasonable price ($15 shareware).
So how do you choose between Backup Buddy and Palm Buddy as your backup solution? Both are fine products. I’d recommend you choose Palm Buddy if you’re a Macintosh user and you’re looking for a Mac-specific, well-integrated solution with a Macintosh interface and drag and drop. But if you’re a PC user, or if you’re working across both platforms, you’re definitely going to want Backup Buddy.
This one gets four and quarter aardvarks out of five on the Fredlet Aardvark-Meter. And as soon as they make the features exactly equal on both platforms, I’ll let them have that next quarter aardavark (eewww, doesn’t that sound gross?) They’ll get five aardvarks if they can figure out how to save my information if I spill grape Kool-Aid all over my Palm organizer (my standing offer for fixing the grape Kool-Aid problem).
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
Backup buddy is available at http://intellisys.base.org.
For more tips about Backupbuddy, visit the pilotfaq at http://www.pilotfaq.com/sfwb_06.htm.
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO
.DISCUSS http://www.component-net.com/webx?13@@.ee6c401
