Hotmail incinerates customer files | CNET News.com
This is a definate ouch. And when you think about how people have said they are going to be using Gmail, well maybe they'll burn a little more of that data onto CD or DVD. I've explored online, automated bvbackup services. I guess they are better than a sharp stick in the eye, but I think redundancy is best.
Case in point. When I was finishing my Master's thesis, the culmination of 2.5 years of work and went on a long trip I made something like 5 copies. One in my office at school, one in my apartment in the freezer (in foil, plastic wrap and a ziploc…theory is that the freezer is the last part of the house to go in a fire), one in my friends house, and I think one in the department office. Paranoid? Yep, but the thought of all that work getting lost was way too much stress for me. Redundacy is best.