Digital packrat

I have a 100 GB hard drive in my PowerBook.

I have an 80 GB hard drive in an external enclosure. I use it for long-term, live archives of student work, digital photos and other things.

I have a 60 GB hard drive in an external enclosure. I use it for daily backups of my documents and applications folders.

I have 20 CDs and DVDs with digital photos that I've taken.

I have 30 other backup CDs and DVDs.

I have an information bank on my computer with 100 MB of text information gleaned from newsgroups, email, etc. all about computer programming, running servers, computer software, etc.

I have several huge websites.

I have 421 little notes/memos on my PDA about all kinds of things, ideas I'm working on, things I don't want to forget, little informational tidbits, etc.

Who is ever going to look through this stuff when I'm gone?

Who is ever going to know the programs on my PowerBook and how to use them efficiently when I'm gone?

Who is ever going to know how to run my server when I'm gone?

Who will take care of my websites? Who will care what I've written in my blog?

No one. No one will care about my photos, my programs, my server.

But that's fine with me because all of these things enhance the quality of my life. Occasionally I cull stuff out. Occasionally I consolidate. Occasionally I compile.

There's little difference between this kind of digital packratting, having 5 or 6 file drawers or boxes filled with clippings, or having drawers and shelves filled with occasionally-used tools. In fact the analogy is quite close, in my opinion. One type of packratting is analog, the other two are digital. I'm pretty good at the analog kind--my files and workbench are fairly neat. I'm getting better at the digital kind--tools are improving, I'm getting better at keeping things organized. There's a sense of satisfaction in being able to lay hands on the information or tool whenever I need it for my work or recreation. In fact, I am immensely satisfied when I can search at will for information and lay hands on it within seconds or minutes.

It's a lot of fun.