No-hassle online backup software

No-hassle online backup software for Windows XP: http://mozy.com and http://carbonite.com. Five dollars per month. Not bad.

I heard about these from listening to this podcast on usability of software

Why Software Sucks by David Platt
http://cdn.itconversations.com/ITC.TM-DavidPlatt-2007.01.02.mp3

What is the most important thing to the average computer user? They want their machine to “just work”. Why does Google know how to correctly translate a United Parcel Service tracking number, while the actual UPS website requires multiple entries just to get to the point where the tracking number can be entered? Programmer David Platt is the author of “Why Software Sucks…and What You Can Do About It”.

While average users are expected to use the computer as an everyday tool, programmers too often produce software that has poor functionality, especially compared to other devices used to perform other routine tasks.

One of the other major problems is that software is too often marketed to enterprises rather than individuals, and that constant updates are meant to convince companies to regularly upgrade, with little or no thought given to the end user.

The discussion is both enlightening and entertaining. While Platt believes the problem can be solved, he thinks it won’t happen unless software designers change their point of view to better consider the needs of the end user.