[Anonymous]

[Swissdiver]

I am tempted by the kind of services offered by AwardWallet, i.e. one place from where I can manage all my programs. But:
– Is it safe?
– I am wondering how these guys are making money since it is free, I didn’t see ads and their terms don’t mention they can sell the data

Finally are you using similar services, why? Or why not?

Thanks

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“Or why not?”

I’m not comfortable storing my personal data in the cloud.

[superchris]

nothing is ever free Swissdiver so you are right to be suspicious. That said, I doubt there is anything malicious in this site, i suspect their business model is built around hit rates and banner advertising.

Personally I find a simple spreadsheet does the job for me and my desire for privacy negates me using sites such as this.

[LuganoPirate]

I’m not confortable either with my data being stored in some cloud, but the trouble is it happens more than we realise. Just think of this humble forum and the data BT keeps on us.

Not only do they have our personal info, but from the regular contributors they know our likes and dislikes. Our favourite and hated airline etc. I’m sure they do nothing with this info but it just illustrates how much of our lives is out there in general.

I don’t use these services as I can’t be bothered to input all the data but potential lack of privacy is not one of the reasons as I think – sadly – most privacy is now gone.

[Swissdiver]

Well like for many things in life a balance must be found, here between the advantages and the disadvantages of a service. I am using clouds for a while now (notably MobileMe) and have most of my business files in it. It saved me more than once (notably a lost presentation just before speaking that I could download from the cloud in time). Now it is somewhat freaky but on the other hand if anyone could have broken just once Apple security (that also run the largest online shop in the world), it would be known!

It is however an infant industry. We could read this week privacy issues at Dropbox where employees were accessing clients’ files. I am meanwhile testing Wuala that has in my view two great features: it is Swiss and, more important, it encrypts and spreads the files in parts over several servers. In other words no one can read the files elsewhere than in the file’s owner’s computer.

Now bear with me, privacy is extremely important for me. But the choice is either standing alone (i.e. not using Internet) or accepting the risk. And if any good hacker wants to get into your computer, he will anyway… 🙁

Back to the question, we rely on the website’s owners probity once we decided the site’s features are appealing…

[Binman62]

I find that americannex press does the job. It can store credit card membership card numbers as well s passport and driving licence details as is easily updated and accessed via an Internet connection. Having been using it for some time without incident and of course added benefit of them doing donkey work should I ever lose my wallet

[MartynSinclair]

The nearest comparison I can think of is whether you would ask a hotel to keep a credit card/passport and hand said items over without a minimal check of at least where the hotel safe was positioned and some bare security details?

There was a very contencious thread about 2 years ago about this very subject.

1. I understand the logic of the cloud, but for client sensitive and my own private data, I would never use Cloud.

2. I beleive that everyone who holds client data or personal information have a duty of care to know where that information is being held and to have knoweldge of the Cloud’s disaster recoevery plan.

3. Carry thiumb drives with sets of back up documents

4. Buy your own server or create a group server with friends/associates

5. If you do use a Cloud, make sure you know in which jurisdiction the Cloud is based. If its USA avoid like the plague.

6. I agree with Binman re the service provided by Amex.

[Swissdiver]

Martyn: Nowadays a good online data storage is safer than a thumb drive…

[MartynSinclair]

depends on amount of data you need to initialy upload and you have a connection when you need to download!

I back up via company server and personal driveS

Will not use Cloud / online data storage – too slow and too insecure – still! – for me!!

[Swissdiver]

Martyn: Have a look at http://www.wuala.com/ I think it is not bad… That said. I also carry a key with what I need but put nothing confidential on it.

[MartynSinclair]

Swissdiver

Many thanks for the link, will take a look.

[Swissdiver]

I am now using Award Wallet for a little while, to my entire satisfaction (even corporate accounts are tracked). It seems however some users are not that happy: The AAdvantage members… Read http://awardwallet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1940

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