First of all, I started writing this article in hope of helping my friends and associates gain data security. There is no insurance against data loss except for a backup, and so many people don't realize that if their little hard disk crashed, what they would lose. Stop to think about it a minute. Or longer.
In addition, I may use this page to log some other solutions I use.
I was a communications and computer consultant from 1987 until 2002. My efforts were to create practical solutions which were user friendly and intuitive, in the customers' best interests, and to gain a broad range of experiences by working for a large number of companies and organizations. I got work almost entirely from referrals. However, in 2002, I forced myself to quit this realm in order to focus on the more challenging (and slower to pay back) task of setting up a company to sustain itself, in fields other than computer consulting (I couldn't find enough quality staff in the latter, so I changed fields where I could find staff...). As such, I am not up on the latest ... outdated by more than half a decade ... nevertheless, some fundamentals always apply.
(I still help people with computers on occasion. Free for friends to a reasonable extent, or for a reasonable fee for business associates. I can troubleshoot and help with most matters, but I'm not up on the latest and greatest power applications.)
However, data backups are absolutely vital, and email is a main application in our lives, so I address these two topics first and foremost.
This is VITAL to every person.
People don't realize what they will lose until their hard disk crashes. Companies have gone out of business over just a centralized server hard disk crash with no backup (but none of my customers!). You risk losing all customer email addresses and contact info, all email, accounting, contracts by email, etc. If for personal use, you can lose your photos and other personal things, too.
I have been thru this sad situation with so many people. Often, that's why they called me in the first place. The traumas and dramas of losing everything, like having the house burn down with all your photos and documents ...