Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Re: minutes - computers help - Do-It-Yourselfers

[Ken Collerman (kcollerm]

I noticed that cohousers are often also do-it-yourselfers. They would rather
do things the hard way themselves than pay someone to do it for them.
Perhaps this comes from the pioneering spirit that led them into cohousing
in the first place.

We done some wonderful do-it-yourself projects here at Windsong.  We've also
made some really big mistakes.  Oops!

Sharingwood is an excellent example to me where the do-it-yourself mindset
can lead a group into trouble.  To me this wasn't about trusting
electronics.  Experienced computing professionals would never think of
having important information stored on a computer without backups.

Typically corporate computer installations have daily tape backups, mirrored
disks and other forms of data redundancy.  Virus checking software is kept
up to date and firewalls protect internal networks.  Uninterrupted power
supply is installed. Databases are checked for data integrity on a regular
basis. Disaster plans including offsite storage of backups and even offsite
sister systems to take over in the case of earthquakes, fires or other
disasters.  Loss of important data can destroy a company.  Yet....paper
backups are rarely made.

If a cohousing group chooses to store their important information on their
own computer, I suggest:

1) virus checking software be installed and kept up-to-date
2) a firewall be installed if the computer is connected to the Internet via
cable modem or DSL
3) backups are made onto rotating rewritable CDs which are kept in a secure
place away from the computer.

OR  this information is stored on another site (i.e. computer) which is
professionally managed by someone else.

Not providing a safe place to store data does not save any money (in the
long run).

I have an information technology background (BSc Computer Science 1976 + 25
years working experience). I was the project leader and architect for BC
TELs Emergency 911 system.  So I may be a do-it-yourselfer in plumbing
(we've had a few floods), however, I'm not a do-it-yourselfer in computing.

Ken Collerman
Windsong Cohousing
Langley, BC

Check out http://www.communi-link.com
and the free office software at http://www.sun.com/software/star/staroffice
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Sandelin" <floriferous [at] msn.com>
To: <cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 8:30 PM
Subject: RE: [C-L]_Re: minutes - computers help


> Just to throw in a small warning to those to entrust electronics as their
> only means of record keeping, Sharingwood lost about a year and a half
worth
> of minutes when a virus destroyed the computer they were stored on. No
tape
> back ups were available (because that cost more to do. The records lost
> contained several decisions which of course no one accurately remembers.
>
> So now we also keep a printed copy in a file in a pretty fireproof place.
>
> Rob Sandelin
> Sharingwood Archivist (a role that is useful after your community has been
> around awhile)
>
>
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