TMG-L Archives

Archiver > TMG > 2010-01 > 1264780570


From: Rick Van Dusen <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Where to store emails
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:56:10 -0800
References: <223512.14375.qm@web81207.mail.mud.yahoo.com><050261806E03482DA7FDEFBEDE702EAD@wXP>
In-Reply-To: <050261806E03482DA7FDEFBEDE702EAD@wXP>


I don't trust online repositories with any of my data. I currently use
three email clients, and find they have strengths and weaknesses:

Outlook 2000: Excellent general personal organizer, including ability to
sort email into folders and subfolders. Backup is easy, for the whole OL
database (and it is one file--corrupt that and you're toast); simply
export to a new file. Saving one message is simply File>SaveAs (HTML is
most standard option). Archiving works easily and effectively. (I
archive and create a backup weekly, and keep about six prior backups.)

Outlook Express (no longer supported by MS, but still works fine up
through XP): Good at email, can sort into folders and subfolders, and
each folder is a file on the drive. Backup by copying the entire
directory. Saving an individual is simply File>SaveAs, to a standard
.eml file. Archiving is not possible, AFAIK. (I backup by copying about
weekly, and archive (as needed) by moving messages to shadow folders and
importing those folders into Thunderbird, then archiving from there.)

Thunderbird: Different, if you're used to OL or OE, but that's not
necessarily a bad thing. Can be customized. Can have more than one
instance open at once. Can sort into folders and subfolders, and backup
by copying files. Using an extension (ImportExportTools), you can save
an individual message (.eml)or a folder. Using an extension (WebMail),
you can access those free email services which won't let you access
except through a browser. (I backup by copying, archive by exporting to
files.)

Of the options others have listed here, I'd probably prefer .pdf, if I
were going to keep them outside the email program. It's also a format
that's relatively unlikely to disappear (unlike several programs I used
back 20 years ago and still have files from).

And wow! I'm impressed at how many are doing backups (for which I've
been a crusader since I lost some files in 1989). Please allow me a
minute on the soapbox:

Backups must be easy to do, and hard to mess up or lose:
1. It isn't a backup unless you can restore it. (Thanks, Darrell, for
this excellent idea.)
2. It isn't a backup if it's too old to do you any good.
3. It isn't a backup if it remains on the premises (not to mention in or
attached to the computer).

I use three matching HDs, two in a RAID1 (mirroring) and the third as a
backup, to which I clone the working drive weekly (these are all in a
removable drive unit). This provides me with 1. fault protection in case
of a drive failure, 2. a full backup, and 3. the ability to not only
recover my data but to be up and running again within minutes (just pop
in the backup drive and go).

I also archive to two sets of CD-R (supposedly more durable than any
other format) or for big files, to DVD. One set stays at home; the other
is off-premises and protected.




beth wrote:
> Kaye,
>
> If you create one source per email in TMG, as I do, you could store the
> email in TMG. Most, if not all of the email I have used as a source is
> basically just plain text, even if in came to me as HTML format. I save it
> to my Desktop as text, open the saved file, select all of it, then paste it
> in to the Comments box on the Supplemental tab. If you go this route, you
> probably do not want to include Comments in the source output template.
>
> If the email has one or more attachments, you could save them separately and
> attach them to the source as exhibits. There might be problems with this,
> depending on the file type of the attachments. I don't know what the
> limitations are within TMG.
>
> Another option is to attach the email and any attachments as exhibits.
>
> Storing the email in TMG means it will be backed up with the project.
>
> I usually leave the email in my email client too.
>
> regards, beth
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From:
>> [mailto:] On Behalf Of Kaye Wykoff
>> Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 12:20 am
>> To: TMG List
>> Subject: [TMG] Where to store emails
>>
>> I've been thinking about how and where to store emails that
>> are used as sources in my TMG project. The way I see it,
>> there are 4 options:
>>
>> 1. Keep all the emails in an email program like Outlook or
>> Outlook Express (which I guess is dead now) 2. Keep the
>> emails online on Yahoo mail, Gmail, Hotmail, etc 3. Copy and
>> paste into Word (or another word processing program) and save
>> on hard drive 4. Print out the emails and keep paper copies
>>
>> Well, I said the emails used as sources, but I guess I really
>> mean all email threads, that I deem important, exchanged with
>> fellow researchers whether I use as a source or not. Some
>> pros and cons seem obvious to some of the options above. 1.
>> Emails that come into Outlook are not available online. The
>> last time I used Outlook, the back up process was tedius at
>> best. BUT Outlook is a great organizing tool.
>> 2. Using Yahoo, there is no backup and I'm afraid that a
>> glitch will wipe them out. HOWEVER, they are always
>> available online where ever I am.
>> 3. Copy and pasting into a processing program is a hassle 4.
> I'm really trying to do away with paper
>> Are there are other options? How do some of you do it? I'm
>> always afraid the emails could be lost if I don't print them
>> or save them in Word (which would be backed up regularly),
>> but what a hassle. I like them online so I can access them
>> anywhere anytime, but I'm afraid that a glitch may make them
>> disappear.
>>
>> Thanks for your ideas.
>> Kaye
>
>
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