Bonkey 3.0

After a long wait for this code monkey, Bonkey 3.0 for Windows hits the airwaves. It has been with testers for a while and it's time for public debut. You can get it at http://s3.amazonaws.com/bonkey/setup.exe. Note that you need to have an up-to-date version of Sun's Java. A Mac release will follow, hopefully within a month.

For new users, Bonkey is a simple to use backup system. It can backup to most storage devices, but it is specifically designed to be used with Amazon S3, which provides cheap online storage. You choose which files need to be backed up, select how often, set the destination and voila! your files are backed up.

Bonkey is free for non-commercial use; commercial users should contact thebackupmonkey at Google's mail (you know the one) for licensing information. Once again, Bonkey is provided without warranties - ie all care, no responsibility: if your computer ends up as a smouldering pile of plastic, or your files end up in the Never-Never (/dev/godhelpme), don't call me.

For existing users, there have been a number of important changes since the last release to make your life easier:

• runs as a Windows service: no need to login for it to start; uses less memory; and is invisible;
• summary screen shows you all you need to know and makes managing your backup groups easier;
• file transfer mode for easier drag and drop transfers;
• synchronisation to remove out of date files from backup targets;
• download updates from update site;
• two methods for file searches for even more flexible backup settings;
• built-in restore wizard to restore to a folder or original locations; and
  
• the bug which halted large file transfers on low-end machines has been exterminated.
  

For those who are new, Bonkey could already:

• backup to multiple locations, including Amazon S3, SFTP, FTP, Windows shares, and local disks;
• backup Microsoft SQL Server databases;
• backup automatically at a set interval and at a set time if desired;
• backup only modified files, or a snapshot of the files you select;
• compress and encrypt files during backup;
• be configured to email any errors during backup to you;
• allow drag and drop transfers between different locations; and
• show built-in help.
  

Other things worth mentioning:

• no spyware, adware, ads, viruses, spam, trojans or STDs. Just the backup software;
  
• runs on Java;
• S3 is run by Amazon - I have nothing to do with it and no responsibility for it. I use it though, and it ain't bad (it's cheap, which can't be bad); and
  
• thanks to Eclipse for the framework, Apache for a number of libraries, Eclipse for icons, and superconnected604 for the chain-smoking briefcase bearing primate.

Here's a simple screenshot of the summary page.

Bonkey 2.1

Pay attention. Here's how it works:

1. You sign up for an account with Amazon S3.
2. You download Bonkey (or here).
   
3. You set Bonkey up to automatically backup your files to your S3 account.

Not too hard, eh? Frankly, 1 and 3 are optional, but at S3 storage rates, you can have your files backed up offsite for not a lot (as in a few centavos a month for this little tree hugger). But hey, why take advice from a monkey? You do your own thing. Backup to an external hard drive or an FTP site, I don't care. Whatever floats your boat.

Things you gotta know:

• free for non-commercial use - for commercial use, contact thebackupmonkey at the mail owned by Google or leave a comment here;
• all care, no responsibility: if your computer ends up as a smouldering pile of plastic, or your files end up in the Never-Never (/dev/godhelpme), don't call me;
  
• no spyware, adware, ads, viruses, spam, trojans or STDs. Just the backup software;
  
• runs on Java;
• S3 is run by Amazon - I have nothing to do with it and no responsibility for it. I use it though, and it ain't bad; and
  
• thanks to Eclipse for the framework, Apache for libraries, Eclipse for icons, and superconnected604 for the chain-smoking briefcase bearing primate.
  

Things I reckon you oughta know:

• screenshot;
  
• can backup files to local disks, network locations, FTP, SFTP or S3 account, and from all of those places;
• can backup Microsoft SQL Server databases (designed for use with ABM);
• starts automatically and runs in the system tray;
• includes encryption and compression;
• can do full backups (with timestamp) or modified files only;
  
• can also execute command-line and database tasks at specified intervals;
  
• can be configured to send you emails when your backup fails; and
• has a built-in help manual.

That'll get you started. No excuses not to back stuff up anymore eh?

Durry?

If you want to talk Mac or Linux, let me know. This can easily run cross-platform, I just don't have a Mac and can't be arsed building it for Linux.