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I run this script every two weeks. It compresses some folders in my home directory and puts them in my backup folder.
Code:
#!/bin/sh
#
# Backup is a simple script that creates a tarball of specified directories and sticks 'em
# somewhere for safe keeping.
#
# Created 2002.12.14 by Ryan E. Hannan
# Updated 2003.03.24 by Ryan E. Hannan

DIR="backup/`date +%Y.%m.%d`"

mkdir $DIR 
echo "Backing up..."

echo "~/bin"
tar -czf $DIR/bin.tgz                   bin/

echo "~/documents"
tar -czf $DIR/documents.tgz             documents/

echo "~/library"
tar -czf $DIR/library.tgz               library/

echo "~/movies"
tar -czf $DIR/movies.tgz                movies/

echo "~/pictures"
tar -czf $DIR/pictures.tgz              pictures/

echo "~/sites"
tar -czf $DIR/sites.tgz                 sites/

echo ". files"
tar -czf $DIR/dotfiles.tgz              .vimrc .z*
 
All I know is if you are using iPhoto be prepared to have a hierarchical folder maze of ultra organized pictures if you are just copying the iPhoto file. Also get in the habit of naming ALL of your photos. iPhoto will accept the generic numerical names given by the camera even if they are redundant. So if you are dragging a bunch of photos to the desktop from the iPhoto folders with those generic names OSX may say that that name is taken so you have to rename..... Please correct me if I'm wrong. I stopped naming individual pictures when I got my mac and then I had to go back and name hundreds of pictures.

(((k)))******************
 
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