Quick Tip

Sure, you keep all your software licenses safely filed in hardcopy in a filing cabinet or box, but if you need to reinstall software, it can be a real pain digging ’em out and typing the silly things in. At least half of the software you have that requires a typed-in license code will take it all in one text block, instead of requiring the silly and laborious type-n-tab-n-type-n… etc., that darned near every Messy$oft product now requires, so having a text file (saved on the computer AND backed up to external media) can be a real hassle reducer.

But what if it’s just a few pieces like that and you don’t want to even dig around for a text file and search through it, etc.?

I “triple up” and every time I get an email verification of software purchase (I purchase almost all software that I do buy over the internet; don’t you?), I will save that email–if it has a license code–in a folder that’s ONLY for those emails or “Edit as new” and insert any license, SAVE and then move it from Drafts to the folder designated for software licenses. That way, I don’t even have to open a file browser or browse through to my licenses folder on my hard drive with a text editor to open and view the license for a reinstallation, because my email client is ALWAYS open on one of my desktops (CTRL-ALT-ARROW KEY to proper desktop, if necessary, CLICK on licenses folder in email client, click on software license email and copy the license.) Lil bitty time saver/hassle reducer. Nothing big, but sure has been handy for me

Oh, and in case of a system crash? Have hard copy filed away and backed up text file (after all, what’s the good of being ABLE to back up all my data in case of emergency if I don’t do it? And email backups in the case of Thunderbird are muuuuch easier to do and easier to reimport on a new installthan on Outlook or Outlook Express.)

Oh, backups? I know what software I have installed (and have backups of installation files for purchased software) and reinstallation of Ubuntu and my other software is moderately fast n easy, almost trivial, so data only. Less time and media taken in backups, as safe as houses. I may move to a NAS solution to backups, soon, as Seagate terabyte drives are becoming almost commodity-priced (and Seagate’s year warranty is unsurpassed in the field) and NAS-enabled external cases are also becoming inexpensive and widely available. For around $150, a 1TB NAS? Doable. And it’d be a nice, easy way to externalize one form of backup (I’d still want optical media stored in fireproof safe and hardcopy where appropriate as well). And at least as inexpensive up front–and less expensive in power consumption–as adding a decent SATA interface to an old computer and plopping in a big drive. Besides: small case for single purpose over big case for single purpose. Almost no-brainer, eh?

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