Shoutout to Arq backup which simply gives you an option in backup plans for what to do with cloud only files:
- report an error
- ignore
- materialize
Regardless, if you make it back up software that doesn’t give this level of control to users, and you make a change about which files you’re going to back up, you should probably be a lot more vocal with your users about the change. Vanishingly few people read release notes.
I honestly didn't even realize Backblaze had a clientside app. Very happy user of Arq - been running a daily scheduled dual backup of my HDD to an external NAS and Backblaze B2 for years with zero issues.
I for one would pay for Arq on Linux as I now do on Mac. It would be fantastic to be able to use the same "it just works" backup solution on all my computers.
And I've used enough "gold standard" commercial applications, like the one being discussed in this very article, that I don't trust those either. If you recoil in horror at code written by LLMs, I'm afraid that the vendors you're already working with have some really bad news for you. You can get over it now or get over it later. You will get over it.
I can audit and verify Claude's output. Code running at BackBlaze, not so much. Take some responsibility for your data. Rest assured, nobody else will.
You are not wrong, but I just don't have time. My choices are pay someone or throw my hands up. I have been paying backblaze. But I recently had a drive die, and discovered the backups are missing .exe and .dll files, and so that part of the restore was worthless.
What time I do have, I've been using to try and figure out photo libraries. Nothing is working the way I need it to. The providers are a mess of security restrictions and buggy software.
My favorite Peanuts comic was always the one where Linus is standing at an intersection next to a 'Push Button To Cross Street' sign. He is sucking his thumb and clutching his blanket despondently.
In the last panel, Charlie Brown tells him, "You have to move your feet, too."
- report an error
- ignore
- materialize
Regardless, if you make it back up software that doesn’t give this level of control to users, and you make a change about which files you’re going to back up, you should probably be a lot more vocal with your users about the change. Vanishingly few people read release notes.