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1826

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 01:40 PM »

Bvckup is not a system backup, it's a data backup. The principal difference is that it is not aware of things like bootable sector, MBR and other file system elements that are not files, but that are required for a successful OS boot-up. So while you can backup entire C:\, it will not give you a bootable image.

Basically the use-case for Bvckup is that of backing up your precious data, but not the program files or drivers or DLLs. Then, if the source collapses, you'd reinstall the OS and all the apps and then restore app's data from the backup created with Bvckup.

-apankrat (October 22, 2013, 11:50 AM)

Hmm. Then I think I need a second program that operates at some kind of "image level". Suppose I have over a hundred big apps and two hundred small ones on my comp! I want some kind of "12 click restore whole image" type program where it copies over C/Program Files and wherever else components end up (registry sync? C/Windows32?) and voila all 300 apps are back.

Then separately an entire image capture level backup, so it's like the three bears of backups : )

1827

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 01:31 PM »

It's a matter of terminology really. To each his own. For example, I disagree that compression is an expected part of backup. Nor do I think that Restore should be a built-in app's function, especially if it"s essentially a thinly veiled basic file copy. I hear you that many people were led to believe that a backup without compression is not a "proper" backup, but that's not a reason enough for me to play along. This tendency to compete on the length of a feature list is very unfortunate.

-apankrat (October 22, 2013, 01:03 PM)

I think this is a trickier topic than it sounds. It chains a bit to your earlier remark about my theme.
"Submit a bug report for an unreleased theme to Microsoft - do I expect them to do anything? No."

But for these smaller apps, having the dev put in features feels to me like an important process, because it can change a user's opinion of the developer.

I "specialize" in these smaller apps, and I get a good feeling when a dev can put in a requested feature vs the old school top down "you'll take our features and like them! (And Like them on Facebook!)

See that thread about horrible upgrades!

So for example if the program can "hot feed" into an already zipped folder, then it ends up compressed and that's fine by me.

Restore might be a little more tricky.

1828

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 01:19 PM »

Notice on the last one I found a bug - changing the size of the window around seems to allow the background to "bleed through".

-TaoPhoenix (October 22, 2013, 11:27 AM)

You most certainly want to log a bug report with whoever made the themeing software that you are using. This is a bog standard Windows scrollbar that is not getting painted through. I just have *zero* control this.

Ad because I selected "full copies not deltas", here is an example that the files came over.

You misunderstand what the delta copying is and I guess the explanation I have in the Backup Config window should be reworded -
 (see attachment in previous post)
Delta copying doesn't copy deltas and store them in a separate file. It copies them into the existing backup copy. Think of it as a selective, per-block update of the backup copy. Performance-wise it makes no difference on the first run, but on the second run in vast majority of cases it delivers significant speed up (over copying file in its entirety).

-apankrat (October 22, 2013, 11:50 AM)

I'm not so sure that I am. Copy Files In Full creates "snapshots" in a point in time, right? So if I want one complete snapshot of the files several times in various destination folders, I don't want delta files in a continuous rolling single backup ... I think. This may be confusing because apparently my data processing style is a little unusual where I rely extremely heavily on my desktop and then down into "batched folders".

Then when I "finish something" esp something big, after like now when I have a file-complete backup copy, I might delete it from my desktop "front line copy". So then the next time I do another run, it has a different set of files. But also in case I am a moron and damage my backup, for really critical things it means there is an entire extra copy of it in the backup folder.

1829

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 01:10 PM »

Notice on the last one I found a bug - changing the size of the window around seems to allow the background to "bleed through".

-TaoPhoenix (October 22, 2013, 11:27 AM)

You most certainly want to log a bug report with whoever made the themeing software that you are using. This is a bog standard Windows scrollbar that is not getting painted through. I just have *zero* control this.

-apankrat (October 22, 2013, 11:50 AM)

And that vendor is ... Microsoft!
http://www.istarteds...0061029/royale-noir/
"Royale Noir: secret XP theme uncovered

    During Royale‘s development (the XP Media Center theme), the graphic artists also produced a black version of the skin, sans the overused “glass” effect. The result is an aesthetic black skin named “Royale Noir”, it even works with Office 2003.

    Since the skin was never released (or reached final adjustments) there are a few issues with it: some of the colors don’t meet the overall “feel” (they’re too purple-ish compared to the greys of the bitmaps) and the inactive titlebars are a little too dark.

    You’ll find it’s been signed by Microsoft and doesn’t require a custom UxTheme.dll in case there are any doubts as to its authenticity.
...
    This skin has not been released to anyone outside Microsoft, until now."

 

1830

General Software Discussion / Re: delete some space in every page of a pdf file

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 01:02 PM »

I'm guessing maybe no one else tried to do this before, but that perhaps an app could be written that could do something like "take a screenshot of the pdf, slice off your top, and re-save it to a second PDF."

1831

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 12:57 PM »

Or is the whole thing taking the piss out of us cause we cannot get the joke or reference - or is it only when we realise that we cannot get it, that we do get it (getting very zen there)...

-tomos (October 22, 2013, 09:11 AM)

Mu!

1832

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 11:27 AM »

And we're done!

Here are some log shots.

Notice on the left there are "log options" - you can expand-collapse stuff.






Notice on the last one I found a bug - changing the size of the window around seems to allow the background to "bleed through".

Ad because I selected "full copies not deltas", here is an example that the files came over.



And I am done!

Question for the dev - how do I make a backup of my *entire* c drive? Theoretically if I have a bit perfect backup of the entire C drive, and it tanks, I could just have a comp tech "rename" my "D Drive" into "C", copy over from "Backup Oct22" into "C:" and I could resume using my computer, right? Please advise because I think I want to do that fairly soon.

Also please advise how I would do some kind of process like "re-install Windows", then "dump bit perfect backup on top of it" and maybe have a "brand new computer"! In other words, if the D drive is "brand new" (basically had only like 1000 transactions performed on it max as opposed for ex billions on C drive), a Fresh OS, (And I'm seriously thinking of going Win7 if my box can handle it and I think it can), then I win! Right? Stop me if I made a horrible blunder!


But the backup needs to be "auto-zipped" or whatever so that it's smaller than the regular data!

So overall I like this program!
 

1833

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 10:38 AM »

Off we go!



Part way through a scan.

1834

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 10:29 AM »

This next screen is really easy but a little subtly funny.



Hehe aka it's one more button click to run! I can see someone go through all the rather dizzying options, and then go to lunch ... and come back to "awaiting go"!

So then you click go ... and go to break...

and come back to find this!

1835

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 10:26 AM »

Starting my first backup.

The real meat of the program is all in here. The first few screens could give someone the mistaken impression "it's a quickly made app" aka they're very short and light.

But once you go to make the backup, it's a modular expand-contract unique window.

Here is my screenshot of "turning all the protections on" aka when you don't trust your comp is in good shape and a normal option that could be faster might magically fail.

When I built this comp I put twin terabyte drives in, with the second drive specially for backups etc. So I'm not afraid of the extra space used by "full copies vs delta changes".

I turned a bunch of other stuff on too.

My big suggestion is put a lot / all of that stuff "outside in the preferences" so the user can work on it and then just make the backup.

1836

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 10:13 AM »

Preferences menu with a bunch of stuff "enabled". (I picked them - the defaults are different.)

1837

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 10:11 AM »

The hysterical license! Yay dev humor!

1838

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 10:04 AM »

Weird, I'll have a look, but the menu isn't custom-drawn in any way. Might be a bug in your skinning app or the theme.

-apankrat (October 22, 2013, 09:56 AM)

One of those answers that could prove frustrating! To a user it can sound a bit aggressive because it makes it "my fault". This is just a color bug that's pretty harmless, so I don't want to look for a new theme right now, but for functionality bugs, especially per earlier a big reason someone would use a backup program is when the comp starts to go downhill, I think it is extra important to try to work around these kinds of "whose fault is it" bugs, especially when the EULA says "not responsible for any data corruption"! Eek!

(Re "Soft Rollup") Well, for example, in Firefox Browser, I can drop drown a menu, "loop the mouse around the screen" down to the icon (tray?) and click Screenshot Captor and capture the menu. For your app when I do that the menu rolls back up. This keyboard doesn't have a Print Screen button, so I haven't tried it that way.

(Re Help Support does nothing)

Ok, will look at this too. It merely calls ShellExecute with "mailto:[email protected]".

Curious - why call that like that? Why not just make a window like the help one with the support address? I get grumpy with "mailto" calls because I use web mail and without a special trick, it invariably tries to call Outlook Express!

(Bleh I got lost in the quotes!)

1839

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:50 AM »

"Initial Use"
- The opening "Nothing happened yet" screen

-TaoPhoenix (October 22, 2013, 09:32 AM)

The white background on menu items - is it yours or is it mine? I.e. is this a part of the theme you are using?

-apankrat (October 22, 2013, 09:37 AM)

Yours. No other app I have defaults to a fixed color under-menu background.

Also the menus are "soft rollup" so that for example I can't (easily) screen capture them because as soon as I go to ScreenShot Captor (By Mouser! All Rights Reserved, see Mouser for details!) makes the menu roll back up because it loses focus. And I happen to be on an "emergency backup" Mac Keyboard that won't Print Screen.

Help/Check for Updates appears to work, and says no update is available.

The Beta Forums button pulls this page, but detailed notes on the forums will go some other post in the thread maybe later.
http://bvckup2.com/beta/#!/topic/148

1840

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:32 AM »

"Initial Use"
- The opening "Nothing happened yet" screen


Starting Menus:
File:
Add New Backup
Exit

Options:
Preferences
Show Log Panel (greyed out)

Help:
Bvckup Homepage
Bvckup Support
Beta Forums (Yes, bolded)
Check for Updates
About Bvckup

Haha! I found my first bug!
Help/Support ... does ... nothing!

1841

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:29 AM »

Hmm. I don't see a desktop icon. So that will be useful as an offered option in the installer.

---

"Get a Beta License"

1842

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:24 AM »

The Install process:

1843

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:19 AM »

Bring it on

-apankrat (October 22, 2013, 09:18 AM)

Oho! We have a challenge! Ask Skwire sometime - my prev "avatar text" was "official obscure-bug pest of DC" : )

And since "I know you're here" stay put so to speak and then we can get a live "interview with the dev" going on!

(Score!)



Actually it might be useful data as as dev "if the customer's box is not in tip top perfect order". After all, a backup tool is ... wait for it ... because you think your data is already slowly going downhill!

And I am a good tester because I am half decent on concepts, but I find making backups slightly more scary than being tenderly chewed by Cthulu!

 

1844

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:19 AM »

The "EULA" - not bad, short and clean. Elsewhere in the thread someone can discuss that.


THE END-USER LICENSING AGREEMENT

between

Pipemetrics SA (the company) and you

for

a beta version of Bvckup 2 software (the software)



- 1 -

The software is provided "as is" with no explicit or implied warranties in respect of its properties, including, but not limited to, correctness and/or fitness for purpose.

- 2 -

You acknowledge and agree to bear the inherent risk associated with using the data processing software, the risk that may result in a complete or partial data loss and/or data corruption.

- 3 -

You agree to not hold the company, its employees and owners responsible for any damages that may result from using the software. Additionally, you agree not to recover from the company any damages, including consequential, lost profits, special, indirect or incidental damages.

- 4 -

You are hereby granted a non-exclusive perpetual license to use an accompanying beta version of the software for its primary purpose, free of charge.

- 5 -

You cannot repackage the software.
You cannot alter or modify the software.
You cannot create derivative works from the software.
You cannot rent, lease, lend or sell the software.
You cannot transfer granted license to a third party.

- 6 -

Granted license is for a beta version of the software only.

To use a production version of the software you need a different license that can be purchased from the company separately.

- End of the Agreement -

1845

Announce Your Software/Service/Product / Re: Bvckup 2 is in open beta !

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:15 AM »

Have a look, give it a try and let me know what you think.
Cheers,
Alex

-apankrat (October 22, 2013, 08:01 AM)

Okay, here goes! I am going to do a "live walkthrough"! Testing on a "slightly cranky" Windows XP box.

I work in layers so expect several posts and those to keep changing because esp for stuff like this I post thread replies "just to get them up there" and then modify them a couple of times. Then if a post threatens to get too long, I just start a new one!

1846

General Software Discussion / Re: So-called upgrades that ruin good programs

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:10 AM »

It would be interesting even a thread about old bugs/absurdites of programs that programmers refuse to fix.

-Giampy (October 22, 2013, 08:43 AM)

Those could be included in this thread since very often the bug is related to a version situation.

1847

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:06 AM »

Both good fun
The panel's bad acting always distracts me on these shows, but I guess that has it's own element of humour (the "oh what a suprise" look, etc.)

-tomos (October 21, 2013, 04:27 PM)

It's possible on some acts that a different pre-screen panel picked the act and that only Simon knows. Then he would be playing a joke on his panel mates.

After all, it is a different message to send to "allow an act on that you know you hate" and then proceed to hatebuzz. I know, they do it some, but it would be better again as above if only Simon knew.

1848

Living Room / Re: Interesting "stuff"

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 22, 2013, 09:00 AM »

Home theatre?  Nah ...

-4wd (October 22, 2013, 07:03 AM)

Hehe we need a staged pic of "Elm St Elementary School" with 40 children there!

 

1849

Living Room / Re: silly humor - post 'em here! [warning some NSFW and adult content]

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 21, 2013, 03:44 PM »

Yeah... i saw her on the show.  It was disconcerting and cool at the same time.

-wraith808 (October 20, 2013, 10:09 AM)

I thought it was more cool than disconcerting. It's about people "walking the walk" of "innovating creatively". So at like age 8 she wasn't singing Miley Cyrus, she was singing "Teen metal".

I'll offer this as the equally funny counterpoint from the other side of life!
The Zimmers!
http://www.youtube.c.../watch?v=-m0EZO5O2dM

1850

General Software Discussion / So-called upgrades that ruin good programs

« Last post by TaoPhoenix on October 21, 2013, 01:02 PM »

So-called upgrades that ruin good programs are incredibly infuriating.

-longrun (May 26, 2009, 09:37 PM)

This topic is general enough to use its own thread!

AdBlock and AdBlock Edge come to mind. I happen to have two copies of AdBlock Edge on two different browsers, and to my dismay one sat there and refused to block a graphic?!

Then I tried it in the other browser and it did! So I looked and sure enough, it was a different (and older) version!