This arose from the thread http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/cd-players-are-they-a-dieing-breed, but I think it's sufficiently important to have its own thread.
The cloud shouldn't be used as a back-up medium (though I grant that cloud services are often -- quite inappropriately -- marketed as back-up solutions). The cloud is ideal for remote access and synching of material between physical devices. It's not suitable for back-up. Back-up must be done on physical media (CDs, DVDs, hard drives) in your own possession (preferably with one physical back-up at a separate location in case of fire).
Why is the 'cloud' unsuitable for back-up? For one thing, try asking Apple where the physical servers are that hold your data, and what legal jurisdiction they're under, and what legal rights you'd have under UK/EU law if anything went wrong. All cloud data held by US-owned companies (e.g. Apple) is covered by the US Patriot Act, which has worrying implications for ownership of data (to say nothing of data privacy, though I admit that's a bit off-thread).
In any case, Apple advise that you should make a physical back-up of all your cloud data, as they cannot guarantee its safety. This is from Apple's legal blurb (capitals are in the original):
Apple shall use reasonable skill and due care in providing the Service, but, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY APPLICABLE LAW, APPLE DOES NOT GUARANTEE OR WARRANT THAT ANY CONTENT YOU MAY STORE OR ACCESS THROUGH THE SERVICE WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO INADVERTENT DAMAGE, CORRUPTION, LOSS, OR REMOVAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, AND APPLE SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE SHOULD SUCH DAMAGE, CORRUPTION, LOSS, OR REMOVAL OCCUR. It is your responsibility to maintain appropriate alternate backup of your information and data.
In other words anyone who's relying on cloud services for their back-up should immediately take action to make physical back-ups. Of course one virtue of CDs is that they remove some of the pressure to back your data up.
daveh75 said:
The cloud shouldn't be used as a back-up medium (though I grant that cloud services are often -- quite inappropriately -- marketed as back-up solutions). The cloud is ideal for remote access and synching of material between physical devices. It's not suitable for back-up. Back-up must be done on physical media (CDs, DVDs, hard drives) in your own possession (preferably with one physical back-up at a separate location in case of fire).
Why is the 'cloud' unsuitable for back-up? For one thing, try asking Apple where the physical servers are that hold your data, and what legal jurisdiction they're under, and what legal rights you'd have under UK/EU law if anything went wrong. All cloud data held by US-owned companies (e.g. Apple) is covered by the US Patriot Act, which has worrying implications for ownership of data (to say nothing of data privacy, though I admit that's a bit off-thread).
In any case, Apple advise that you should make a physical back-up of all your cloud data, as they cannot guarantee its safety. This is from Apple's legal blurb (capitals are in the original):
Apple shall use reasonable skill and due care in providing the Service, but, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY APPLICABLE LAW, APPLE DOES NOT GUARANTEE OR WARRANT THAT ANY CONTENT YOU MAY STORE OR ACCESS THROUGH THE SERVICE WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO INADVERTENT DAMAGE, CORRUPTION, LOSS, OR REMOVAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, AND APPLE SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE SHOULD SUCH DAMAGE, CORRUPTION, LOSS, OR REMOVAL OCCUR. It is your responsibility to maintain appropriate alternate backup of your information and data.
In other words anyone who's relying on cloud services for their back-up should immediately take action to make physical back-ups. Of course one virtue of CDs is that they remove some of the pressure to back your data up.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram