Are you a digital hoarder?

Question

It's so easy to save digital files - documents, pictures, music, videos, programs, bookmarks - the list is endless. Do you hoard or collect digital files even though you might never revisit them?Or have you ever done a "digital clearout" instead? Chucking away old programs, CDs, wiping old HDs, deleting files deemed obsolete?Have you ever deleted files, and then later regretted deleting those files?I wonder if we are all digital hoarders to some extent since it's so easy to keep digital files?

adrianomartins · Accepted Answer

I'm definitely and hoarder, but I managed to get a good balance, I stash everything away in one (or ideally two huge hard-drives) and I back it up to Backblaze, keeping my laptop as clean and light as possible. Storage is quite cheap these days. Of course, no duplicates at all, and keep everything organized at all times is a must.The same with dropbox/gdrive, there are some files that I want accessible at all times, but no need to keep them on my laptop (selective sync them out). If I ever need those files I can simply go on the web interface and get them.

VariableStar · Answer

No, rather the contrary. I delete everything I do not need and can be likely be retrieved easily if the need arises. I only keep important documents, files that are nowhere to be found in the internet, archives of older work that I deem important as examples and record of how a problem was solved. The rest ... rm -r . Same with physical things. Moving and backuping is very easy. Only a handful of times did I delete things I later regreted doing so. And no, I am no follower of Marie Condo.