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+See also [[system backups]].
+
+You are working on stuff, it shouldn't go away just because you mistyped a command or botched an edit or accidentally typed `rm`. Backups are important.
+
+Here are some ways you might back up your own stuff on your own schedule under your own control. It's not a tutorial (yet) so when you see a command that looks interesting type e.g. `man tar` to get all the gory details. TODO: add examples that can be cut and pasted without too much risk.
+
+### `tar` and `scp`
+
+Use `tar` to create a tarball of your stuff, then `scp` to put it somewhere else. `tar` stands for `tape archiver` which shows its venerable age; it still works just fine. 
+
+### `rsync`
+
+`rsync` synchronizes a directory with a remote directory.
+
+### `sshfs`
+
+Use `sshfs` to create a remote filesystem through SSH; then your local machine can copy files to your local drive as if tilde.club were a local file system.
+
+### `git` and a private repository
+
+Use `git` to add your home directory as a project, then back up what you have to your favorite git repository. You'll probably want to make that repo private.
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