The average computer user has not heard of version control. It began as a tool for programmers to keep track of multiple versions of their source code files. Version control software makes it easy to undo a mistake or compare with a previous version. This type of file archiving would make an excellent tool as a backup solution, but lacking a visual interface, document revision software for the average user wasn’t possible using programmer tools.
Document Version Control Scenarios
Programs like FileHamster have changed all that. A simple visual interface and automatic settings make it easy for the average user to take advantage of version control software. There are many examples of why this type of software is useful as a backup solution to the everyday user. Anyone from a college student to a writer, photographer or graphic artist can make use of the built-in backup and file archiving features inherent in version control software.
For example, a real estate photographer working with pictures from a photo shoot on Monday decides to crop three pictures for a tighter shot. On Tuesday his client contacts him and requests a full shot of a specific room, which happens to be one of the pictures he cropped. Version control software would allow him to retrieve the original picture, which was automatically archived when he saved a new version.
The same theory can be applied to documents. Document version control software can be used to:
- Store multiple revisions of a document
- Keep track of primary turning points in the writing processes
- Test a complete rewrite of a section without losing the original content
- Organize revisions automatically by date without the need to create multiple copies
- Backup the document to an external device as a measure against hardware failure
Easy Document Version Control With FileHamster
FileHamster is available in three different versions: basic, advanced and enterprise. The features of the basic and advanced versions will fit the needs of the majority of users. The enterprise version is intended for team environments where multiple users are expected to work together on the same set of files. It should be noted that FileHamster will only backup user created files, cloning software should can be helpful for a full system backup.
Installing and Configuring File Archiving
The installation procedure is simple and allows the user to set initial watch folders. Files and folders can also be added later from the File menu of the program. Once FileHamster has been assigned to watch a folder, whenever a file is modified, it saves a copy. By default copies are kept for three days, but this can be customized to the user’s needs, by setting a different interval, or a specific number of document revisions to save.
Each level of the application offers different features to complement the basic version control software. The basic application can be used to save revisions to an external disk, enhancing security in the event of a hard drive failure. For more complete protection, the advanced version offers the ability to save files to an FTP server at a remote location. This type of precaution is a useful measure against unforeseen circumstances such as fire or theft.
It’s also possible to further customize the experience with comments and revision protection. Comments allow the user to enter a note for a particular version, which can be used to remember what change it contained or mark a major version. The user can protect individual revisions; protected revisions will not be deleted even after the specified time frame or number of revisions stored.
Hearing technical terms such as CVS and version control software has the effect of discouraging the average user from considering document revision control as a backup solution. Programs like FileHamster make this technology more accessible than ever. The time spent initially configuring a version control program is well worth the effort for users that work with frequently changing files. Thanks to the minimal learning curve with new technologies this makes version control a good idea for any user.
Marco Villar - A technical writer and translator with years of experience in the industry. Content translated or written includes articles, manuals, help ...
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