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vkapoormd

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 14, 2004
78
0
San Francisco, CA
I have been debating using .Mac service for my contacts, calender, etc. As it stands, i am also considering using it for backing up my Hard drive. Currently, i use MS entourage for my mail, contacts, calender and like the fact that it is one program with everything, but i don't have the ability to access it online if i am away from my computer. And i am using the silverkeeper software with my Lacie FW drive for backups. The one thing i don't like about dot mac is the fact that they charge you $99 / year. Just wondering what people's experience is and would they recommend it? Also, if anyone has any good recommendations on backup software to use with my Firewire Drive. :confused:
 
You only get 250 megabyte with the $99 subscription. Thats not much space for backups when you have a 40 - 80 gigabyte drive.

I use an external drive for backups
 
The main reason I have .Mac is because I use four Macs and I like having my calendar (iCal) contacts (Address Book) and Safari bookmarks the same on all of them.

Secondarily, it's really nice for posting pictures on the Web nearly instantly from iPhoto or for sharing files with folks (iDisk).

I wouldnt' recommend it for backup, nor would anyone else, I'd guess. :D
 
If you don't use Mail/Address Book/iCal/Safari, and don't have a use for the other .Mac features, .Mac is NOT for you.

I use Carbon Copy Cloner for backup. I've also heard good things about SuperDuper, which does much the same thing with some extra features.
 
I have the .mac service and I use it mainly for the mail, contacts, and ease of putting photos online from iPhoto. As for the backup, dont you have to have .mac to use Backup? Even though you can backup to pretty much whatever you want, DVDs other drives, etc., you still the .mac service to use the software, right?
 
Mr. Durden said:
I have the .mac service and I use it mainly for the mail, contacts, and ease of putting photos online from iPhoto. As for the backup, dont you have to have .mac to use Backup? Even though you can backup to pretty much whatever you want, DVDs other drives, etc., you still the .mac service to use the software, right?
That is correct, if you're referring to Apple's Backup program.
 
IMHO .mac is great just for the syncing features. Between work and home I juggle 5 macs. It's great having all my scheduling/contacts/bookmarks whever I go and not having to give it much thought. I do post photos and videos up there all the time as well. Posting larger files to .mac can take a long time and is something Apple really needs to work on.

.Mac has saved my a** on more than one occasion when I have forgotten my cell phone and needed to search my contacts.
 
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