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Why You Should NEVER Rely Solely on Technology

While technology makes things easier, when it comes to data you consider important, you should NEVER rely solely on technology to protect them. Your computer can always break down to a point where your stored data can become irretrievable, so can mobile or cell phones.

With your computers, desktop or laptops, always back up, not just in your system, but in external storage devices. A word of advice though, should you need a stranger to restore your valauble data, be aware that after backing your data for you, while you are on your merry way, happy that your data has been retrieved, some repairmen and shops do not delete your data from their own storage devices, but instead peruse through your personal data and can do whatever they chose to with them.

I'd previously read about such happening, and eventually learnt this from my own personal experience after I took my laptop to a stranger to have it fixed. More than a week after he deleted my hard drive and neither I nor someone else who was supposed to fix the problem he couldn't successfully do, could retrieve the backup file he said he stored on my laptop and realized there was no such file; when I called him regarding my data, he was still able to provide them. While it was good the data was still available on his storage device, he equally had no business storing all my personal data after my initial contract with him to fix or return my laptop was over. Besides when I checked the history, I saw the fles he had accessed and checked out.

Probably everyone loves the convenience of cell phones, but the reality is data stored therein can be easily lost due to your own carelessness, due to your sim card being stolen with your phone or sim card damage, and worst case scenario, your carriers server malfunctioning to the point where all your stored data is lost ad permanently irretrievable. Such is the case of T-Mobile and the experiences of its customers in the past month. http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/57927

Digital phonebooks and diaries too are subject to the same, should they become damaged or stolen. Always back up names, phone numbers and addresses in phone and address books. Yes, paper.

Most of us are glad that we no longer have to risk our films or photographs being lost by photo developing shops after we have captured our valuable memories, and all they can tell us is that they'll give us a new film instead. Of what use is a new film without all the valuable memories one captured on their camera film? I lost my late mum's 70th birthday photographs to one, so I speak from experience.

The same applies to your digital cameras. It's easy to store all your favourite photographs on your scan disks, but all it takes is a damaged scan disk, or worst case scenario, should your camera get stolen, your memories in stored in those scan disks would be lost forever. To prevent this always download all photographs you have taken so far even if you continue to save the originals on your scan disk.

I also learnt from such a very painful experience after some man stole my expensive digital camera with all the valuable photographs and camcorder recording of the last Christmas my now late mother spent with our family. The cost of the camera I'd long saved for, was nothing compared to all the holiday memories of my family, especially that of my late mum. Equally lost were all the photographs I'd taken with family and friends over a 3 month journey, my mum's burial and reception photographs as well the graduation photographs I'd just taken the past 2 days before this selfish chap stole my camera along with all my stored and irreplaceable memories.

Even your camcorder can be subject to the same misfortune should the disk or tape in it become damaged or your camcorder be stolen. Once any of these happen, your recorded memories are gone forever. Several years back, I had once believed my camcorder with recordings from my grand-dads 90th birthday were safe in my very own house, until the building manager let some carpet repairmen into my home unsupervised and they not only helped themselves to my camcorder (neglecting to leave the tape inside behind, like they would have); but they also helped themselves to all my jewelry, large area rug and many other valuables.

It is a shame that those who steal your cameras, phones, camcorders are never considerate enough to leave behind your scan disks, tapes, or sim cards when they decide to steal your technological gadgets. Afterall, they have NO use of your stored data and most likely don't know your relatives and loved ones in your photographs or camcorder taps or disks; but then someone malicious enough to steal your gadgets in the first place, does not care about your memories and every other thing you have stored in those devices. They simply erase and reuse your storage devices, assuming they don't download your data and phographs and use them for their own skewed plans.

People have been known to present strangers' photographs as their lovers or even themselves on dating and other websites or even forward them via email after transposing other body parts on them.

A word of advice for those who store extremely personal or nude photographs of they and their significant others on computers or digital cameras, your photographs could end up on pornographic websites without your consent.

For those perverts who store inappropriate photographs on their computers, the computer repairmen (I believe) have a duty to report to the appropriate agencies, should you for instance have inappropriate or nude photographs of children. The same applies should you take in your scan disk to develop at a photo development place.

In concusion, while you should never rely solely on technology, you should also always back up your data whenever you can in any and all available storage devises including on paper or in your non-digital address/phone book if necessary. Also, never take it for granted that because your gadgets and devices are on your person, in your home or entrusted to your repair men, they are indeed safe. You can be robbed and your stored memories could be gone forever.

Cxsm
12th Oct. '09

© Cxsm 2009 All Rights Reserved

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm