It pays to be nice

[netmaestro]

Over the past several years I've shared a lot of code on these boards and in the past couple months I've discovered a very valuable side benefit to it - if I hadn't shared it I'd have lost most of it I moved a lot of stuff from my desktop to my laptop in preparation for our yearlong camping adventure (still ongoing) and I used a thumb drive for the transfer. After my desktop was wiped and sold, the thumb drive broke irretrievably - of course before I found the time to put the files on the laptop. But thanks to code sharing I was able to get a lot of stuff back. I'm just saying, it pays to share.. the ass you save could be your own!

[Inf0Byt3]

Indeed it pays back. I'm sorry to hear that you lost code, hardware failures are always frustrating. Lost code so many times that now I backup the files daily lol. Speaking of thumb drives, maybe there is something fishy going on. Back in the day I could rarely see one broken. Now, even with proper care (no shocks, static, etc.) they just die after a while. Higher rate of failures due to higher density maybe, who knows. Or cheaper memory chips.

I guess you tried everything with the thumb drive. What error does your laptop display when you plug it in? Or it is simply not recognized?

[netmaestro]

The end broke off of it with normal use, the wires were all pulled out from deep inside it. A skilled electronics tech could have probably gotten the files off of it but it would have been hours of work at 60+ dollars per hour. As I didn't have anything of real commercial value on it I just chucked it.

[Fangbeast]

You've helped me out with lots of bits and pieces over the years, which was greatly appreciated.

Anything that I might have that you need? (I can think of a few off the top of my head)

ScreenSnap, MouseHoverLibrary etc..

[Kwai chang caine]

I have not also nice code like you But for me it's also important, very precious
So all the day, i save my work on two key, for be a little bit more sure, i use always Corsair key since 8 years (Very expensive)
But three time, a morning one of my two key ask to me (I'm empty, Want you format me ?? )
It's for that i use two key simultaneously, immediately i copy the one => Two or the Two=>One and i'm saved
Furthermore each Week end i save all the key to a server, and this server is saved several time on an other server
The more funny, it's with all this precautions, i have when even lost sometime, several data

But if a day, i have the half of your knowledge, i believe i save on ten server for never lost precious code like yours
Your splendid code never bugged, always perfect, deserve the better protection for never disappears

I'm so null, that i can't found alone a complete code, so thanks to you and all members, i can when even create software, one piece of each members.
It's the reason why all the day, i do my market, for keep all the splendid code, the kind members give to everybody, and i never thanking enough of that.


So like Fangbeast say, i must have a great number of your codes, if you need it, i can all put it in a zip, and send to you.
it's a real pleasure and an honor, if i can help you less one time in my life....

[electrochrisso]

Sorry to hear about your misfortune NM, if it is any consolation I used to do a lot of work with surface mounted device soldering, and I might be able to get your files back and onto another stick and send it back to you, no promises until I see the damage, it will be a worthwhile challenge for me, and will cost you $000, let me know and I will PM you my postal address.

[MachineCode]

I also store a bucketload of snippets from these forums for future reference on my HD, so if there's a specific procedure or code you can't find, let me know what it does and I'll see if I have it.

[BorisTheOld]

@netmaestro

Regular backups really do help.

Perhaps you should add non servavi to your sig.

[IdeasVacuum]

Really surprised that your USB key failed like that, poor manufacturing. I use SanDisk and Freecom keys, they have been fine for a few years now.

...even the best laid plans can fail - my PC crashed during the backup, both sets of hard drives were trashed! Fortunately, I stored a copy of my most important stuff on a remote server. It takes forever to get your machine up and running just the way you had it before though.

Another tip for backing-up your code is to email it to yourself - if you have a gmail or yahoo account then you have access to tons of unused storage.

[idle]

Yes it pays to share! Take a look at ubuntu one or googles sky drive
Ubuntu one automatically syncs folders and is very handy for backing up or sharing a files.

[Seymour Clufley]

NetMaestro, you might want to take a look at my archiving program which will keep an up-to-date copy of any folders you designate. Here it is.