Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Page 4 of 4 < 1 2 3 4
Topic Options
#298179 - 01/19/21 10:50 PM Re: Offline: Be ready [Re: haertig]
MartinFocazio Offline

Pooh-Bah

Registered: 01/21/03
Posts: 2203
Loc: Bucks County PA
Originally Posted By: haertig

Say you have a computer set to be backed up once per week.


Reading those words made me feel a little ill. My files are backed up in real-time as I make them. I can't afford to lose a day much less a week!

Top
#298180 - 01/19/21 10:58 PM Re: Offline: Be ready [Re: chaosmagnet]
MartinFocazio Offline

Pooh-Bah

Registered: 01/21/03
Posts: 2203
Loc: Bucks County PA
Originally Posted By: chaosmagnet


Really, what Mrs. Magnet would need in the near term is the capability to get into my email (to read the bills that don't come on paper, which is almost all of them)


We solved that problem years ago.

We have an 'alias" email address that forwards to both of us (like a "Role" account in the corporate world.)

We use it like people used to use home phone numbers. It's our email, not mine, not hers.

Signing up for a utility? Use the "our" email.
Paying a doctor bill and want a conformation? Use "our" email.
Setting up a new video streaming account? Use "our" email.
Etc. etc.

It's particularly useful for the sixty billion messages a day that come from the kids schools.

Top
#298181 - 01/19/21 11:35 PM Re: Offline: Be ready [Re: MartinFocazio]
haertig Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/13/05
Posts: 2322
Loc: Colorado
Originally Posted By: MartinFocazio
Big hint: Anything that involves SSH - or command-line - is a non-starter.

Only for people who don't know how to use a command line.
Quote:
Linux anything is not for mortals, not even Ubuntu or similar desktop distros. I run a Linux Laptop for some ham radio & SDR stuff. It's not for normal people.

My mom used Linux, right up until she was 91 years old and had to move into a memory care facility. She liked it much better than Windows, and had far fewer problems with it than Windows.
Quote:
"Headless" anything is a non-starter for normal people.

I disagree there. Give them an icon on their desktop that starts up a graphical remote access agent and 99 out of 100 times they will prefer that to walking over to the remote compute to access it locally (provided you're not on a super slow network).
Quote:
It needs to be a drive/folder that is recognized by Windows or Mac.

That would be a silly plan for people that don't use Windows exclusively. No need to pick the lowest common denominator if you don't have to. Windows is actually extraordinarily complex, the only people who don't realize this are the people who don't know anything else besides Windows. Being used to a thing does not mean that the thing is better than other things. It only means that you are used to it, thus more familiar. I do agree however, that if you know nothing more than Windows, you should use Windows. It kind of goes without saying that you will be lost elsewhere.
Quote:
Never have all your data "on-site" anywhere

I agree with this. Unfortunately, this usually means "use the cloud" for most people, as they do not have the knowledge/experience to set up their own remote backups. But similarly, don't depend on a backup in the cloud as your only backup either. And for sure, don't consider it secure. You can encrypt it yourself to help rectify that, but then we're getting back to a concept that users that are totally dependent on third parties (cloud services) for their computing needs would not be able to implement on their own. So for the generic computer user who can't set up their own remote backups, they need to accept that most likely other people will be able to see whatever they backup to the cloud.

Top
#298194 - 01/25/21 03:54 AM Re: Offline: Be ready [Re: MartinFocazio]
Mark_R Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 05/29/10
Posts: 863
Loc: Southern California
Originally Posted By: MartinFocazio
I few years ago, I posted something like this, but I'm posting again.

Go turn your Wifi off. Put your phone into "Airplane Mode"

Now, what's the phone number for the local Red Cross Chapter?
How do you get to the nearest hospital.
Where is that funny picture of your kids?

If you can't get to this - or other important information, you're not equipped.

I like apps that SYNCH with the cloud (internet) but don't REQUIRE the cloud.

This means: Chromebooks are a non-starter.
Dropbox, Onedrive and similar cloud storage: GOOD but ONLY if you configure them to ALWAYS SYNCH EVERY THING TO YOUR LOCAL MACHINE (don't use "smart synch" stuff that "downloads as you need things")

But in general, be ready for "offline" use of your tech.


I had to deal with something similar not to long ago. The home modem went out on December 30th. No videos, no online games, tech got pushed back to the mid 90's. I was quite happy. The kids, being addicted to various electronic games, weren't. Now, if I could just arrange for the cable to go out...

FWIW, I do have the number for the local red cross in my evacuation document bag as part of my emergency contacts. Dead tree media is still the most reliable in a crunch
_________________________
Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane

Top
#298195 - 01/25/21 04:56 AM Re: Offline: Be ready [Re: Mark_R]
haertig Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 03/13/05
Posts: 2322
Loc: Colorado
Originally Posted By: Mark_R
I had to deal with something similar not to long ago.

Just today, I walked into the bathroom and said, "Alexa, turn on bathroom lights." And they didn't come on!!! I was unsure what to do, standing there in the dark. I said it three more times just in case I had slurred my words. But still, standing there in the dark was I. Panic crept in, until I remembered I had a flashlight in my pocket. I made a beeline down to the router for a reboot. Then I quickly traversed all across the house testing for sanity ... "Alexa, what time is it?", "Alexa, what's the weather?", "Alexa, turn on Christmas tree.", "Alexa, tell me a joke.", "Alexa what's on my grocery list?"

All seemed well, so I had a cup of tea to settle my nerves. What a harrowing experience!

Top
Page 4 of 4 < 1 2 3 4



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, chaosmagnet, cliff 
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 186 Guests and 19 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav, BenFoakes
5367 Registered Users
Newest Posts
Question about a "Backyard Mutitool"
by Ren
03/17/24 01:00 AM
Problem in my WhatsApp configuration
by Chisel
03/09/24 01:55 PM
What did you do today to prepare?
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/06/24 06:18 PM
New Madrid Seismic Zone
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/04/24 02:44 PM
EDC Reduction
by EchoingLaugh
03/02/24 04:12 PM
Using a Compass Without a Map
by KenK
02/28/24 12:22 AM
China and Taiwan
by brandtb
02/19/24 02:18 PM
No More Ritter Knives?
by KenK
02/19/24 01:33 AM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.