FileHamster
18 Aug 2007Silly name but a great idea.
FileHamster is a version tracking application for developers, graphic artists and other content creators that frequently modify existing files.
FileHamster provides real-time backup and archiving of your files while you work. It enables you to monitor specific files on your hard drive and automatically create incremental backups whenever those files are modified. It also enables you to store notes about the changes that have been made, allowing you to quickly locate a specific revision or provide a detailed account of the work you’ve done on a project.
It has many features, but is very easy to use and does not require any technical expertise - just point it to the directory or file you want to monitor/backup and it will do the rest.
FileHamster pretty much lives up to its promises. It simply makes copies of your files as you edit or change them. It backs up to a location you specify. It basically gives you an automatic undo for anything you edit. even after you close the program you’re editing your document with.
I use it as a poor man’s version control system. When you’re working alone on a projects (like bloget) versioning is less of an issue because you’re not integrating with a larger build. I tried several times to use VSS and SVN but the idea of checking files in out just didn’t work since I had no one else to integrate with.
FileHamster on the other hand saves every revision. It has a Diff plugin which lets your find differences between revisions. The plugin simply allows you to select a diff utility like Beyond Compare 2 or WinMerge. One disappointment is it only allows you to diff between the latest revision and an earlier revision.
Perhaps the best compliment I can give however is that I simply forget it’s there. It works silently for the most part. There are some popup’s but most can be turned off easily. After that it’s just a matter of selecting folders or individual files that you want it to watch. Highly recommended.