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Press
January 20, 2007
Backing up data essential as Web-mail dependence grows
By: Charles Bermant
January 20, 2007 -- As we increase our dependence on Web mail, it pays to keep an eye on its possible danger. You may use a free service to store mail, documents, passwords, household information and notes, relying on the convenience of being able to access data from any location. But because it is free, there is no accountability. If the "you get what you pay for" adage still holds, you would have no right to complain if one day the server fails to work or just closes down.
This isn't likely with Gmail, Yahoo! or Hotmail, as the sponsors are stable and there would be hell to pay if their servers ever crashed. Still, we need to realize that backing up data is essential in case the worst ever happens.
One easy system is to copy all your messages to a second account with another service. So if Gmail is your primary inbox, run a forward command to Hotmail. You may never open the second account, but if one service fails, the other is there to back you up. Backing up one Web mail account with another doesn't provide fail-safe protection for your data, but it decreases the chances of loss.
Because the top three Web-mail programs do pretty much the same thing, some users may want to add a little spice along with their backup. Choosing BigString (www.bigstring.com) as a backup account incorporates some interesting security features that, at times, could save the day. BigString allows you to track messages, determining if and when they are read by the recipient.
You can limit recipient access, controlling the number of times it can be read or how long it will be readable at all. You can even cause the message to disappear in a puff of smoke after a predetermined time period (BigString calls this "Mission Impossible style mail"). You can also recall or edit messages that were sent in an intemperate mood, imposing a degree of after-the-fact restraint.
Explained BigSpring Chief Executive Darin Mayman, "We want to make e-mail more like the telephone." Meaning that you can say things online that won't necessarily come back to haunt you. A message can be edited or deleted after it is read, so a recipient may become confused. The security features aren't anything new; many corporations impose time limits on their mail and restrict certain functions. Unlike corporate solutions BigSpring has a lot of personality. Its interface is a little raw, but the features are easy to find and use. And it's a lot of fun to be able to do something new.
On the other hand, it removes a degree of accountability. E-mail is a great way to communicate because it is unambiguous and adds a credibility that sometimes is missing from a phone conversation. There are times when these tricks are just the ticket, but using them all the time adds a level of dishonesty into the mix.
