dantz@cdp.UUCP (06/28/89)
I'd like to propose an alternative to the Fastback II offer. DiskFit from SuperMac Technologies offers fast, reliable backup at a lower price. DiskFit is available through various mail order houses for around 60 dollars. DiskFit is a very reliable program which backs up your files in Finder format to floppies and other media that mounts on the desktop. This means that when you want a particular file from your backup set, you can insert the disk and drag it back to your hard disk. DiskFit does an image backup. When a file changes, it is deleted from the backup set, freeing up room for new and changed files. Fastback backup sets grow each time you preform an incremental backup. DiskFit backup sets only grow as the data on your hard disk grows. The differences between the two programs raise several issues: 1. How many backup sets do you wish to maintain? If you want to keep multiple backups, then DiskFit might make more sense because you won't have to keep adding floppies each day to each set you back up to. I personally do not trust my data to only one set of floppies because the data is only as safe as the floppy is reliable. 2. How important is it to you to keep old versions of files in your backup? DiskFit removes old copies of files from your backup, and Fastback adds new and changed documents to the end. 3. Regarding speed: Fastback has a faster short-term backup speed, but from time to time you are forced to perform a complete backup from scratch because your set grows too large. With DiskFit, the set sizes remain stable, so you do not have to rebuild them. These are some of the issues you should consider when deciding what backup program to purchase. I have an obvious bias towards DiskFit since I work at the company that created it. Walt Hays Dantz Development Corp.