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Do you archive/store your downloads (mainly install files)?
wraith808:
I picture is worth a thousand words....
Anyway, I don't leave raw executables sitting around on my drive. They are always archived. This give much more protection against damage in the event of a malicious virus.
(see attachment in previous post)
-Nighted (October 07, 2007, 11:21 AM)
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What is this nifty software in your picture?
-wraith808 (October 15, 2007, 11:54 AM)
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Looks like Windows Explorer addons - QT TabBar and FindeXer.
-PhilB66 (October 16, 2007, 11:00 PM)
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Thanks! Looks interesting....
I thought of archiving downloads but they're always such an unassorted bunch of files, and with two pcs at home one will always be connected to the net if the other one fails.
I've never ever resorted back to an older version,however i tend to keep a copy of downloads of purchased software now because they tend to charge if you want to download it again *grr*.
-justice (October 17, 2007, 06:49 AM)
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I positively *hate* when they do this. And many places are charging 2.99 to 9.99 for "Download Protection" so that you can download it again. This is the kind of thing that makes me rethink my stand on ESD.
Rocker452:
I have my installers in a folder that I also sync to a thumb drive. I only put the ones I use regularly in there and all the ones that I pay for. I try to keep it updated with latest versions but sometimes get behind with that. It does save time though if I have to reinstall the OS or restore a backup image.
vixay:
I did a double take on that one, tinjaw... Didn't notice the second line of text ;D
-Darwin (October 11, 2007, 06:58 PM)
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me too :)
Btw Armando How do you tag files? I am in the same boat i have a huge list of folders and i always sort my downloads by category and all that. But instead i would love to have it tagged, and easily searchable. I use CDS (copernic) to search for now.
Though i was thinking of setting up a FARR alias to do that as well, but ran into too much confusion and out of time in trying to get it to work (for another purpose of course, like running portable apps all from my \Programs\ directory, and trying to find one when using the 'p' keyword/tag/alias/whatever it's called. So didn't bother with the alias for my categorized appz folder as yet :))
Sometimes i think i should start my own file organizing site, where i pull information from the web about the application and add the appropriate tags/category/folder to it... just so my organizing becomes easier! I think PADD.XML are a great attempt to do that, but sadly few follow it, and big ones don't follow at all!
It would be neat to have a semi-intellingent organizing app that asked google for the tags and applied them automagically :) :up:
I actually have a whole workflow around downloading, testing, archiving.
The reasons i archive are:
* I manage multiple pcs
* I am the tech support for dozens of pcs (the family tech support), so lots of time is spent on research like a lot of the fellow DCers! Just gotta find a way to step 4. Profit!!! :P
* App i installed on one PC often needs to be put on another later (then i don't have to remember and search again)
* same reasons as app103 as well :) but my list includes more family oriented or geek support stuff Keep in mind 4 of the primary reasons for saving older setup files:
1. Newer doesn't mean better.
2. Sometimes freeware goes payware.
3. System requirements may increase in newer versions while the hardware on your PC may not.
4. A lot of great little known freeware has a tendency to disappear from the web and become lost forever.
-app103 (October 11, 2007, 03:27 PM)
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Nicely summarized.
-Armando (October 11, 2007, 05:31 PM)
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Here is top level view of my archives, though there are plenty of subfolders as well
I used to invest a lot of time doing this earlier, now it has tapered off and i don't care as much. My new interest is maintaining a good collection of portable apps that i can just dump on a new pc! Used to love doing this on the good old 486 days! :) Though managing a bunch of floppies was a pain!
Armando:
Btw Armando How do you tag files? I am in the same boat i have a huge list of folders and i always sort my downloads by category and all that. But instead i would love to have it tagged, and easily searchable. I use CDS (copernic) to search for now.
-vixay (October 18, 2007, 03:59 AM)
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Sorry, I forgot about your question! :-[
After a lot of pondering I devised a tagging system based on file names so that : 1- it can be compatible with as many search tools as possible (farr, X1, etc.), 2-it can be used by at least 2 OSs (MS Windows and Linux), and 3- it can be as robust as possible. Tag2find will eventually be an option, but not as it is now.
It's not perfect: file names tend to become gigantic and it's pretty important to keep them under control because of the windows 259-260 max path limit (IMO a stupid limitation, even if I understand why — when will that change!!! Amiga’s SFS allowed 32000 ack in 1998)... In my case, the 259 character limit is especially a problem for documents names — I put a lot of info in there : document type, author, date, title, etc. + tags ; I do that for very good reasons (don’t want to hear about windows files metadata capabilities : too inconsistent), it's extremely helpful. For applications, file/folder names length are not as preoccupying since I don't write anything else in the name but the program’s name + the tags or categories.)
I use renaming programs to do quick batch renaming. I use AHK to keep my system perfectly coherent.
Of course, if you want more details, I'll do it. :)
vixay:
Armando, that was certainly insightful, i thought that just putting it in the name would be a good option. But like you said the limitations and all. Regardless, i'd love more details on how you do it with the help of AHK and all.
Thinking more on it, a good idea would be like a category list, which you check off and it adds it to the filename!
But you know. I find that there is a difference in paradigm between tagging, and folder hierarchy. Tagging almost always requires you to search, and doesn't give you a good folder level view, but gives you quicker access to stuff you need. Whereas folders, give you good views, allows exploration, but makes finding things a bit harder. I think when we reach the tags = folders in explorer stage is when it'd be great! (like the delicious extension in firefox!)
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