I started messing around with backup implementations today. Now, the obvious question is: why not just get a service from Mozy or whoever? Isn’t that slightly more expensive but have the advantage of being entirely painless? I was going to rant about this, but someone already did it for me: check out this article on backup services disclaiming responsibility for being backup services.

As a long time techie, I’m used to having my software explicitly deny responsibility if it decides to burn my house down and raid my bank accounts if I use the help file too often. I mean, you’d think you’d be paying Microsoft for some kind of quality, but if you read those agreements, you’re really no better off than with a free open-source program — anyway, I think the service thing is entirely different:

“Hey, here’s a crescent wrench. I know it could be used for all kinds of things, like a paperweight or improvised blunt weapon, and that’s your business. You could even use it as a wrench. Whatever. Either way, you buy it, you break it, it’s up to you. $2.”

“Here at Bob’s Auto Club, we offer roadside assistance, 24/7/365, we’ll be there for your auto needs no matter where you are or what your problem is. You can rely on us. Except we may not show up, or offer assistance, no matter how close to our offices you are or how great your problem is, and we may even cause those problems, because it’s hilarious. $10/month.”

There’s just no way. It’d be like hiring a paper shredding service that reserved the right to not shred confidential documents, scan them, and sold them to competitors.

Plus, I’m uncomfortable not being able to encrypt myself — having one company control that and the storage itself spooks me. Especially when they’re not willing to say “I promise not to rustle through your stuff.”