Backing up data isn’t exactly exciting, but like washing laundry, everyone needs to do it. On Linux, you can back up your files using an almost-bewildering array of choices, from self-composed shell scripts, to expensive software packages. But how about a simple, open source, easy-to-use, set-up-and-fuggedaboutit tool?
Backing up data isn’t exactly exciting, but like washing laundry, everyone needs to do it. On Linux, you can back up your files using an almost-bewildering array of choices, from self-composed shell scripts, to expensive software packages. But how about a simple, open source, easy-to-use, set-up-and-fuggedaboutit tool?
Konserve is a small backup utility that lives in the KDE 3.x system tray, and it makes backups so easy, so automatic, that you’ll probably forget all about it… until you desperately need that file you accidentally deleted.
Let’s install Konserve and create a backup job to better understand the program.
If you use an APT-enabled distro, try apt-get install konserve. Otherwise, head over to http://konserve.sourceforge.net/download.html and grab the source code or a pre-compiled binary for SUSE, Debian, Mandrake, or Gentoo. Build the code (if necessary), install the application, and start the program from the K menu icon, or enter whereis konserve on the command line and run the binary that whereis finds. On Debian, the path is probably /usr/bin/konserve; on SUSE, it’s likely to be /opt/kde3/bin/konserve. If a little red soup can labelled “K” appears in your system tray, Konserve is running (and will automatically start with any reboot, unless you close it first).
A Sample Backup
Let’s back up your hidden KDE settings directory.
Right-click on the Konserve icon, and select Wizard. In step one, when prompted to name the “Backup Profile,” type kde_settings and press Next.
Step 2 asks for…
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