Data Backup Software and Service

Background

New Tech Infosystems (“NTI”) was founded in 1993 and has specialized in software for CD and DVD recording. Apart from BackupNow!, NTI produces a number of other well regarded products including a CD burner.

Usage

BackupNow!'s user interface is a model of clarity. It features numbered steps to guide you through creating a backup job and plenty of dialog boxes to gently guide you back to the true path if you stray. Here’s the main program window:

It gives you a clear path to the result you’re after, allows you to change whatever options you need to change at the moment, then gets out of your way while the program does its thing. Each step in a backup or restore has its own lighted button in the list that represents the particular job you’re running. The program moves you towards the next step without giving you the impression that it’s pushing you. It’s a shame that more companies don’t follow this model.

Restoring a backup follow the same simple 1-2-3 formula. Click here for the screenshot. Again the screens are all separate and again have clearly numbered steps for each operation.

It may sound simple and obvious, but BackupNow! was the only program we looked at that we would rate as having a totally intuitive interface.

BackupNow! does not provide explicit settings to allow you to backup your email, Windows Registry, Desktop, Favorites and other system settings. To back up these items you need to know where the appropriate files are located on your PC. If you don't know this, and haven't the means to find out, you may want to consider other products such as Genie which provide simple tick boxes to back up these items.

Usage

Let me get straight to the point. The Double Image user interface can be outright confusing. To see what I mean check out the backup window.

The left-hand pane above shows the option selections for a given operation, but the labeling may not reflect the actual operation you're working on. It makes you wonder, at any given point, whether you're backing things up or restoring them. The confusion extends to the restore window.

Here you're about to do a restore, but the options pane still shows the options pertaining to backups and are labeled that way, except for the orange title bar. This would be confusing to anyone.

Background

Novosoft is a Texas based company founded in 1992 that has produced a number of software products including the very popular Handy Backup.

Usage

The opening screen is a model of simplicity but on closer inspection, provides little immediate guidance to tell you what you have to do.

What you have to do in fact, is open the File menu and choose to create a new "item" i.e. a backup, restore, or synchronize operation. A wizard then opens and walks you through creating the item, depending what type of operation you're doing.