Class action ?
(Pun intended)

NewsForge did an interview some time back about Open Source and Defense...
http://samnitzberg.com/Papers/Why_open_source_works_for_weapons_and_defense__interview__JAN_2006.pdf

-- Sam

The original is no longer in use, but I respect the effort this team performed (video link below) to replicate an analogue of it using Legos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLPVCJjTNgk

I'm a big fan of at-home network storage- similar to what other posters have written about.
It sounds like 2TB should be fine for you, and you can get an external 2TB hard drive to backup to and put in a fireproof box.
If you set up a VPN router, you could access anything at home or away.

It sounds like you wanted a more direct notebook - based solution.
I haven't used them myself, but it sounds like 1TB notebook internal drives are available, e.g.:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/27/wd-ships-industrys-first-2-5-inch-1tb-hard-drive/
and soon, 2 TB should be available.

Even if you have some limitations on your boot disk, you should be able to run 500GB on your primary internal drive, and many notebooks will support a second hard drive. You might be happy with this approach - you can carry all your photos on your notebook, keep a backup on another drive on your notebook, and leave a 2TB at home for backup purposes should anything bad happen to your system or it gets stolen.

Also, you might want to do a post later to let us all know what decision you ultimately come to and how you like it.

Good luck-

Sam

"Rouge"

Maybe it just likes to wear makeup :-)

"My favorite part about this story is that they are burning the house down without due process of law. "

I'm already queuing the Talking Heads song in my own head.... you know the song....

-- Sam

There is a show in the UK, and some stations used to get it here (in the US) called "Tiny Planets."

For kids, this is / was a great show - it centered around two nice aliens and their experiences with objects (spacial and music-related), playing nicely, taking care of oneself, etc.

There was also a website with Tiny-Planets related games online (please take a look for it), downloadable coloring pages, and more.
You can also get Tiny Planets DVDs.

Anyway, anything associated with Tiny Planets I'd strongly recommend, and I think you child is at about the right age to enjoy it.

Best regards,

Sam

PS - I only have a minute or I'd dig up the links. My apologies for not providing more details.

One thing I'd add is to create a good set of documentation, and if necessary let the powers that be know that you want the time to document the systems operation either as it develops or once it's stable. However, for security purposes I tend to prefer either storing data on a server in-house (with VPN access), or being very careful about the choice of an outside hosting service provider.

Document how to perform all key operations, and leave a paper copy in a company-owned safe (in case of network or system failure). It can also help you when you need to perform a rarely - performed operation - perhaps reloading RAID or other drivers. I'd also save and backup a library of all essential sw and systems images in case they are needed for recovery.

This will help down the road not just in case you "are hit by a bus," in the worst sense of those words, but if you have an outside emergency to tend to, or just need to take a day off. This can provide more flexibility for you and your schedule. Also, if you should leave the company one day, this is the sort of thing that does (my opinion) tend to be appreciated.

Regards,

Sam

Schmaltzy !

It's not going to be used all day, every day --- but, I'm a big fan of open-source, graphically vivid astronomy software.
Programs like Winstar and Celestia -- they are free, and you can use it to not only show stars and planets, but to show
"travels" from one to the other, relative distance, follow orbits of planets and objects, see surface details on planets and asteroids...

Combine this with a decent projector, and you've got a great (additional) tool for many aspects of astronomy - how planets formed, what they look like, man-made satellite objects, etc.

Actually, I'd encourage anyone to play with these just for fun on their own systems.

-- Sam

PS - No, I didn't RTFA, so some of this may be off-topic. I don't know.

If a device is not properly grounded or has problems where it provides a small electrical shock, can this be a potential health hazard for people who may have certain types of medical implants - e.g. implanted pacemakers, defibrillators, or other devices?

I suppose any potential threat could be worse if the current were conducted for example - from one hand across the body to the other, so that it would travel across the chest or implant while seeking ground...