November 22, 2004
More USB Flash Madness
http://www.remotelyanywhere.com/I was looking for a 1GB flash device I could stick on my keychain. They are running about $100 to $120. I saw this instead....4 GB for under $175. I gave in to it. It's not keychain-able but it comes with a neck strap. It's a hard drive device, not a flash device. Flash devices in the 4GB range are still going for around $800, if you can find one.
Having 4 GB of CONVENIENTLY sized portable storage may solve some of the problems I am encountering working in multiple workplaces. I have tried, and am using some web based services: FusionOne, Streamload, GoToMyPC, RemotelyAnywhere; some hardware: a 1.5 GB hard drive device I bought last year, a 512 MB flash device (which I broke); I can log into my SharePoint on my Windows 2003 server remotely and retrieve files...but nothing has been been simple; no one solution works everywhere, 1.5 GB is not enough storage space; everything requires forethought and planning. I need to feel confident that whichever solution I use, I am accessing the LATEST VERSION of the file.
SharePoint actually comes closest IF the documents I am working on are Microsoft Office documents, and IF the computer I sit down at has Office 2003 installed. I feel fairly confident that for these documents, the latest versions are the ones in SharePoint. But I am having trouble coordinating my Outlook mail files between computers running different Outlook versions and I keep all kinds of project assets in file folders and I am currently confused where the latest versions are. I THINK I know, but the whole thing is making me nervous and less efficient than I need to be.
I am going to try the 4GB drive. I am nervous of course about having the only copy of my most important work files on something which I can lose or break, so I have to figure out
a) my backup strategy
b) my versioning strategy.
I would like to find a utility like Beyond Compare which I can run from the hard drive itself, so that I don't have to have install software on whatever computer I am using. If anyone knows of any utility like this, please let me know.
Posted by Trigger Tech at November 22, 2004 1:39 AM Permalink
