Protecting Your Family History Research

In last night's lesson, my subject was "Protecting Your Family History Research", and the areas of focus were:
BACKUPS
Why?
What?
When?
How?
Where to?
This link is to the document where I discuss these questions and offer suggestions.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20318248/Protection%20Against%20Digital%20Disaster.doc

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR RESEARCH WHEN YOU DIE?
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20318248/Will%20Your%20Research%20Last%20for%20Your%20Lifetime.doc

Here is a hillarious genealogical horror story, that leads to the next point.
CLEANING MOTHER'S HOUSE http://newbremenhistory.org/GENEALOGY/Cleaning_Mother's_House.htm

A GENEALOGICAL CODICIL
A Codicil is an addition to a Last Will & Testament. Should you give your Executor and your family members direction on what to do with your research when you die? I think the obvious answer is "Yes". Should it be in the form of a Codicil? "Maybe and maybe not". The following link is to a modified copy of a Genealogical Codicil that is available at many places on the internet. I don't know who created it nor whether it is valid in your part of the world. Still, if it gets you thinking and discussing your wishes with your probable successors, it will be worth your time to download and print a copy. On my first read of  "CLEANING MOTHER'S HOUSE", my sympathy was entirely with the deceased Barbara. On re-reading the article, my sympathy was a bit more divided. Apparently Barbara had left no instructions, leaving the self-obsessed Charlene and her children to do whatever they wanted. Maybe a Codicil with an inventory and clear instructions would have changed the outcome. I leave that to you to decide.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20318248/Genealogical%20Codicil%20to%20My%20Last%20Will.doc