Backup Software for the Blind Backblaze

Posted on: April 18th, 2011 at 6:12 AM
by Justin Daubenmire
Accessible Software Backblaze, backup software, blind software, Justin Daubenmire, low vision, software for the blind
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The other day I was chillin’ on my laptop and I was writing down some pretty sweet ideas for software for the blind that I could create. I went to refill my coffee and when I came back to my laptop, my 3-year-old son Cason was on Daddy’s laptop pressing keys. I asked Cason, “What are you doing big boy?” The little rascal replied “nothing daddy” with a rascally grin on his face.” That grin was really saying to me “I did something that is going to freak you out!”

When I got back on my laptop, I noticed that Cason had somehow deleted several of my word documents, mp3 files, and some of my programming source code! How you might ask? I don’t have a clue nor can I figure out how he crawled up to the top of our entertainment center the other day but the little rascal did it!

However, I didn’t freak out because I have all of my files on my computer backed up offsite… phew man! I use the Backblaze service. For 50 bucks a year, or for 5 bucks a month, you can back up all the files on your Mac or Windows pc that are important to you… documents, pictures, music, and pretty much anything else. You might be wondering, how does Backblaze actually work?

You download a tiny application that installs onto your Windows PC or Mac in three clicks and doesn’t require a credit card or any information to start using it. This internet backup application automatically finds all your photos, music, documents, and other irreplaceable files—no matter where they are on your hard drive—and compresses and securely encrypts them. When you’re not using your computer, it sends them over the Internet to the remote Backblaze datacenters.

So you go to the Backblaze website and download the free 14-day-trial backup program. When you install it, it will ask for an email address and a password. The email needs to be your real email address but the password doesn’t have to be your real email password. This information will be used to log into the Backblaze website so you can restore any of your files. I’ll cover how to restore your files in my next post so stay tuned.

After you supply your email address and a password, the Backblaze program will instantly start backing up everything on your computer to their secure offsite server… it’s that easy! They use your email address and password to encrypt your personal data as it streams in the background over a secure connection to their offsite servers so it’s totally safe. They give you unlimited storage. In addition to your regular computer, you can even backup an external USB drive plugged into your USB port. Oh and Backblaze works both on Windows and Mac… sweet!

The guys at back blaze are pretty cool. I worked with their programmers to make the back blaze program accessible for blind or low vision users. I’ve used back blaze for over 2 years now and I have never had a problem with it. The other day I had to format my computer and had no stress over it. Once my computer was back up and running I just simply restored all of my files from Backblaze onto my computer. 

I’m an affiliate for the guys at Backblaze so if you decide to sign up for it, please come back to this blog post and click a back blaze link on this page prior to paying for the service. It will toss a cookie on your computer so when you order Backblaze, the guys can say “sweet! Justin sent us an affiliate so let’s give him a few pennies for helping us out.” What will I do with those few pennies? Simple, I’ll purchase a kid proof safe to keep my laptop in so Cason cannot get to it anymore!

In my next post, I’ll show you how to restore files from the  Backblaze server. For now though, get backing up! Oh and if you try out Backblaze let us all know what you think of it. Leave a comment and share your thoughts with us all, ok?

Talk soon,

Justin