I spent today working on my annual computer backups. I back up my data every month, quarter, and year. This is also an opportunity to neaten and file everything neatly. Working efficiently is about storing everything efficiently; not too much of anything, not too little, and knowing where everything is. My system has evolved over about 20 years. I order my computer as follows:
1. Archive
This contains software downloads, the set-up programs. These are generally named including the version eg. v201 for 2.01 - that halp know what version everything is. It's divided into Audio (audio software and plugins), Comms (ie. internet software), FileSystem (mostly drivers, and also things like antivirus software or file tools), Games (PC and emulator based, plus any downloaded updates), Graphics (graphics software and fonts), Programming (compilers), Science (science software, simulations), Text (word processors etc.)
2. Audio
Contains music albums (and albums in progress). Albums themselves contain all files needed; their artwork, source recordings and dubs, 32-bit master recordings, final files, edits etc. This 'Audio' folder also contains music (or any audio) downloads ordered by year (so this can grow neatly), current mp3 player contents, my sound effects and audio recordings archive, scores (sheet music), the archive of past ArtsLab programmes, and all of my Prometheus and NoiseStation songs/projects.
3. Comms
This contains my websites plus other web-based material like backups of SQL databases.
4. Events
A list of 'events', live performances etc. Each folder contains the material used (scripts) plus any posters, sounds or images needed for the show, plus any final photographs or videos of the event. Like music albums, paintings, writings etc., each item is coded by a number and a name and is a folder. There is a 'master index' so that the date of every event or item, plus any details about it are recorded. I do this for every creative endeavour; this diary acts as a store of all essential information, so that if/when I need to do something similar, I can look it up, but I generally also write my thoughts and analysis about the project or event, or any other relevant information because this makes it into an invaluable learning resource.
5. Inventions
I haven't made that many, but I file what I have.
6. Pictures
Artworks. I have 300dpi scans of every painting and visual artwork (over 1000 to date). These folders also contains all of the source material; reference images, sketches, photographs etc. for each artwork. Works in progress are also filed here, as well as all photographs (ordered by year) for general non-work events (Christmas, holidays, etc.). I also keep thumbnail images of all of my paintings (which are often needed), promotional graphical material for my music, a special folder of social media images in the right size and format, all website graphics, plus an extensive reference library of images. The latter is increasingly redundant now that many free-to-use and good quality images are online.
7. Programming. Source code for programming projects, games, SDK downloads, libs and includes, offline documentation. This also includes a full version archive of all of my projects in a ready-to-run state, as well as all of their data, from graphics and sound assets, to box-art and other promotional graphics.
8. Text
Any text-based files. Includes all of my poems and songs (now filed and stored together), plus folders for major text projects such as books, essays, short stories etc. there are over 200 of those to date. All of my old emails are archived here too, plus 'Documents' which is a general storage space for files, ordered year by year. This includes entry forms, books, scripts, and generally anything written by someone else that I want to keep. 'Notes' is also filed year by year but generally contains things I create. The Text folder also contains any manuals for household items (eg. the microwave), scans of old handwritten letters and replies, contracts and legal documents (eg. birth certificate), accounts, bus timetables, a backup of this and all of my blogs, a backup of internet shortcuts and Facebook data, and other things which are used reguarly and sometimes updated - such as letterheads or templates.
Text also contains the master indices of everything, which are perhaps the most important thing. My visual art diary, for example, is over 30,000 lines of plain text; 16 years work to date. Every painting and artwork, poem, song, album, video, computer program or anything else is coded and filed here, generally with a lot of extra information (the albums index, for example lists each album with track list, plus ISRC codes, credits etc. for each song, liner notes etc. as well as all necessary publisher information).
9. Videos
Short films, music videos, plus clipart and bits of video that might be useful (10 second countdown, test cards etc.).
Any creative folder (eg. albums, songs, paintings, writings etc.) is divided into 'Archive' where complete and finished items are stored; 'Inuse' where projects in progress reside; and 'Current' which contains clipart and a small number of common items which are generally used regularly.
Happily, today's filing and ordering is now complete. On we march to 2021.
