I'm working in a group and are machines aren't networked (laptops, no Wifi, no internet).

After working a shift data is handed over on USB to the next person.
Personally, I like to backup the data before handing over the data as well.

Sometimes it's really bisy and so I have stay on after my shift, working on a
copy of the data to finish off the work.

Other people do the same.

The end result is that there can be multiple copies everywhere, and if everyone's not careful
the latest version can be overwritten with an older copy!

Obviously, subversion and so forth is over the top.

All that it needs is to agree on how to handle the work.

This is what I'm considering:

- make a single USB drive the primary source of data. Work live on this USB stick rather than
coping to hard drive
- use a program to automatically backup the USB stick whenever it is inserted. Only backing up
changed files. (where can I find such a freeware program for Windows though?)
Generally the last modified file is the most up to date file. Surely this could be used as well?


I just wondered what other people would do in this situation?

I do not know if you would consider something like a file synchronization tool. I used for a similar task : unison (over the network, but I think you can do it between two directories also).

So when you plug the usb, it will copy to it the newer files from your computer to the stick, the newer files from the stick to your computer and, in case of conflict, ask you what to do.

PS: but really, why not setting up a network ?

Windows has the "Briefcase" that shows differing files each time you put something in the folder, and I think it also asks what to do-I know Linux has got to have a similar function/program-yes?

There is a tool called rsync on Linux which will update source to destination replacing only differing & new files; checkout rsync's -a, -u, -r and -v options. Git is another version control system, but might be an overkill.

On windows you can make autorun.ini file in root directory of USB; program autorun.ini to run some update program that will update USB when its inserted. I don't know if there's a similar thing on Linux though.