is Clonezilla still a thing?
Can you expand on your thoughts that rsync isn’t a backup? Do you mean because of file versioning or because you only consider whole disk images as backup?
Yup. Can still get that. Also, Macrium Reflect is free.
Rsync synchronises the contents of 2 folders, there are options to leave deleted files undeleted on the destination, for example, but encrypted files will just be copied over top of the unencrypted replica, corrupt files will replace uncorrupted files.
It works as a 1 time replication, but it replicates everything, including corruption, encryption and, usually, deleted files. If the replication is taking place daily or weekly, you might be okay, if the problem is picked up during the day, you can recover. If the problem is subtle and takes place over days or weeks - which is the case with many cryptomalware variants at the moment, by the time the problem has been discovered, the replication has replicated all of the encryption.
With a “real” backup, you have, as you mention, the versioning, or a history of backups. You might lose the latest changes, but the core data from a day, a week, a month or 3 months ago will still be available to recover from.
It is great for hardware failure or a disaster in the primary location (in this case the 2 servers were in separated by a physical fire wall, so a real fire in the building couldn’t affect both locations), you can just switch over to the hot-stand-by, but if it is an attack, deleted, corrupted or encrypted data, you have lost it on both systems, once it has been synchronised. It is a great part of an overall disaster recovery plan, it is a painful lesson to be learnt, if you rely on it as a backup.
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I’m gonna be building a new computer, what’s a good Thunderbolt expansion card?
Get it directly on the motherboard, if you can.
But you just built one 
USB4 aka Thunderbolt 3 is going to be part of the new wave of motherboards. As is going to be DDR5 most likely. If you’re not desperate for a new PC (even assuming you can get parts) you could wait for the upcoming announcement of new chipsets from AMD and Intel.
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I think this is probably a bad time to build a PC as parts will be costly.
It’s going to be in an AMD system and the only 5000 series compatible mobo I could find with Thunderbolt as far as I could tell has a Thunderbolt header but no Thunderbolt ports on it.
There are a few of them, I think
(or at Canada Computers for you Sam 
Canada Computers | Best PC, Laptop, Gaming Gear, Printer, TV, Cables - Canada Computers & Electronics )
It’s expensive thou, as TB is a high end requirement. (You can maybe check here for other ideas AM4 motherboards, USB-C, Thunderbolt, and USB4 - CPUs, Motherboards, and Memory - Linus Tech Tips )
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Which means you just need a case with a Thunderbolt port on it or an facing-plate with a USB-C/Thunderbolt port for an expansion slot.
That Gigabyte board looks like a work of art. Very clean lines and the white covers move it out of the industrial space. “Aimed at creators”, yes, with transparent cases. 
You know, I didn’t give as much weight to versioning as I probably should have. I’ll have to think about that and maybe initially prioritize the important files for cloud backup with versioning. Thanks.
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Yeah, for the last couple of months my brother has been asking me to build him a computer so I figured that I’d take advantage of the situation and give him the one I built last summer and build myself a new one with Zen 3 and a 3000 series GTX card.
I realized that it would cost the same to get a mobo with Thunderbolt.
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@ant_pruitt I’m going to be getting my first camera that’s not q point and shoot soon. Should I go mirrorless or DSLR?
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Mirrorless is the coming trend and the cameras are no longer the poorer brother of the DSLRs.
When I went looking for a camera, it was a matter of having several in the hand (going to a photography shop) and trying out the various models, which ones felt comfortable in the hands and which control system felt more “logical” to me.
I think that is the best advice anyone can give, try it in the hand, is it too heavy, is it too light, is it comfortable to use. I found that the Nikon DSLRs (entry and mid level), for example, were too small for my hands and too light to hold steady, the Canon felt more solid and passed better. I have since switched to a Sony Alpha mirrorless, it is a bit small, but I can use it comfortably and, interestingly, I didn’t have the same problem holding it steady, that I did with the Nikon.
My 2¢: mirrorless all the way. If you are on a budget get a Micro Four Thirds camera. Smaller sensors but a huge variety of lenses from numerous manufacturers. It’s the only open lens mount standard.
Remember the lenses you buy will outlast any body, so pick the platform carefully and only buy the best glass you can afford.
I am all in on Sony full-frame mirrorless with Alpha GM lenses. But that’s a fairly high-priced solution. Superb image quality though and smaller bodies that are easy to carry. Canon is rapidly moving to mirrorless and doing the best of the legacy manufacturers, in my opinion.
Mirrorless bodies have another advantage. Because the sensor is close to the mount you can use adapters to mount lenses from other manufacturers. For example, I use a tip-top Leica 50mm f2 Summicron-M lens with my Sony and a Vogtlander adapter and it works well (although I have to focus manually).
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Mirrorless. It’s the future and it’s so dadgum good.
Get one that feels good in YOUR hands, first and foremost.
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So what’s a good starter mirrorless?
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