My first 200GB RAID (which is mirrored for data security, not speed) has 2 operating systems on it along with various games, programs, photographs, work etc. There's about 20GB free over the 2 partitions which are on the drive.
My second 200GB RAID is used for disk images (which are slowly being plonked onto DVD - currently about 60GB worth), MP3s (just under 30GB worth), 15GB or so of various other downloaded bits and bobs (used to be more until I had a clear out) and about 60GB or so of videos (various series of stuff).
My external drive has backups of most of that stuff (not games and OS stuff though) on it along with about another 100GB of videos (these are also backed up on DVD seeing as they're only stored otherwise on a single HD). There's over 350GB free on the external drive as it was bought to last for a good while longer before I filled it.
You see, for me hard drives aren't expensive and they're a damn sight less hassle than having everything sitting around on CDs and DVDs, or having to regularly delete stuff to free up space. I can easily play quite a few games, listen to all my music, watch a large choice of videos (although not films) all without having to muck about much or do loads of disk swapping. So there you go.
There I do not go.
I wasn't arguing for sticking this stuff on DVDs/CDs versus hard drives, I was arguing against hoarding that much data in the first place.
I don't understand the purpose of <i>keeping</i> all this stuff. I understand the emotional need it fills - people (geeks in particular I think) like collecting things, but surely there's a limit beyond which it doesn't make sense.
How long would it take you to watch/use/play 1.3 <i>terabytes</i> of <i>stuff</i>?
And why all the backups? Is your data really <i>that</i> important on hat I assume is a home computer? I understand the point of backing up things whcih are unique (your work, for example) and things you deem important which would be difficult to replace (music). But games and films and TV series... why? I download plenty of all three, I watch/play them then I delete them. Why keep them? Sure, the odd few you might watch again, but they're so easy to get that if I want to watch them again I will get them again. I have maybe 3 or 4 big games installed at a time, I don't play more than that at once so why have more.
I don't mean to get at you in particular, it's your shit and money so it's up to you what you do with it. I just find it a bit absurd. My computer is used for both entertainment and work and I manage fine with a 70gb drive, I play plenty of games and watch plenty of films and never struggle for space as I don't feel the need to keep them afterwards.
What really bothers me is the ever increasing voracity with which people lap up commercial-media. Not only lap it up anymore, but cling on to it like it has some inherent value. Especially given the creative potential of the machines they're using to archive and view this shit (and when that creative potential is being used most of the time it's only to reproduce/reinforce those commercial creative forms anyway). I find that a bit scary.
Take some photos.
I gotta see all of this small are, high storage PC.
you make a lot of sense, and i envy your attitude.
I take that with some stuff, but I don't think i am as good at it as you are!