[Discuss] Death, and other cheery topics

[Daniel Barrett]

I'm wondering how other people in our community balance two competing
factors:

1. Having a powerful computing environment at home: multiple machines,
perhaps some of them hosting VM's, running a variety of operating
systems, mounting each other's network drives, etc., plus a backup
server, and holding critical information like financial records, tax
returns, your family's music collection, etc.

2. The knowledge that when you die, there's no conceivable way your
family could understand or operate this system, even if they are
smart.

For me, I document the system, keep backups and critical documents in
a safety deposit box (in case my computers and I perish in a fire)
along with a Knoppix CD, and occasionally do a run-through with my
non-IT-professional spouse.  I suspect it's not enough to ensure she
can find the password to our bank account in an emergency.

What do you do? Keep important records on non-Linux machines so they're
"easier" to access for non-techies? Arrange with an IT-savvy friend to help
out if you die?  Put the data in the cloud and hope nobody breaks in?
Pretend we'll live forever? :-)

Dan