GRIDLOK  Having used this reliable and comprehensively featured back-up program for years, I immediately purchased the latest upgrade. What a steal!! I mean really … US$10! … and I can vouch for the friendly and prompt support I received the one time I did strike a glitch.  
(Version 1.9.2)

UNCOY  After another interaction with Benjamin, I can tell you he really cares about his users. I bought a new computer and again ran into licensing trouble but Benjamin had me sorted out within 12 hours.

MimMac also handles packages well (iPhoto, Aperture generate packages into the hundreds of Gigabytes), treating them as folders so you only have to update the files which have changed not the whole database (minutes instead of days of copying).

MimMac is the only affordable high quality sync tool available on OS X. SuperDuper! is the way to go for volume backup but SuperDuper! doesn't handle folders or partial drives well and won't do two way syncing at all.

MimMac and SuperDuper! are a killer combination though.

I've since bought another license to support the developer's efforts with MimMac, despite our rocky start.

What's even better is the licensing scheme will be changed so that your license will continue to work even if Ascendent Softworks disappears (hopefully not!).

All that's left on my wishlist for MimMac is dry run preview of two-way syncing.  
(Version 1.9.2)

UNCOY  While the MimMac registration system is extremely dangerous (if Benjamin stops his software business you'll have no way to install MimMac on your new computer), otherwise the software is sound. And little else in this sector is. Drive Utilities are difficult to program and seem to attract a peculiar breed of developer (very expensive, locked down in non-user friendly ways, buggy).

MimMac scores very well on two out of three. And that is a lot better than the competition.

For full bootable backup, I recommend SuperDuper! but for sync, MimMac.

I am reviewing MimMac again as there is no way to edit my recent rating.

If MimMac were did not require developer intervention to move to a new computer, it would be a 5.  
(Version 1.9.2)

UNCOY  You cannot reformat your hard drive or sell your old computer and move on and keep using MimMac. You have to personally contact the developer and hope that he will get around to allowing you to reactivate your software.

If I had to this much babysitting for all the shareware I buy, I would be out of a job as I would be spending all my time just sending out authorisation emails (for what it's worth, I switch one of three Macs at least every six months and when I do a reinstall I've moved to doing clean installs and putting everything I need back on).

Stop worrying about the pirates - they get whatever application they want anyway - and start worrying about the legitmate users.

Take a page out of Dave Nanian of SuperDuper fame from shirtpocket software.

1. The basics are free.

2. Pirating is easy, but you'd be a few dot versions behind.

Anyone who pirates mission critical applications like backup isn't going to be a customer in any case. When the pirates grow up, they'll buy SuperDuper. In the meantime, Dave doesn't have to deal with them. This model scales. Microsoft and Adobe used a similar strategy for years, although Adobe seems to be moving towards making their applications unpiratable. The consequences - huge hassles for legitimate customers with licensing. Those who do pirate the application actually have less hassle in the end.

What is happening is that the Adobe crackdowns and their absurdly high prices ($2000+/suite/workstation) are making the shareware - reasonably priced photo and graphics space attractive again.

Anyway the point is you won't defeat the pirates, you'll just annoy legitimate users with the heavy handed authorization scheme you are using.

KISS is the golden rule. You follow it almost everywhere else. I ask again, Benjamin, what are you thinking about with this heavy-handed and unscaleable authorisation scheme?  
(Version 1.9.2)

EYELESS  A very good backup utility, that is the only backup software I have not had one problem with (and I have tried a dozen of them). This is also the only software that has actually saved data for me in connection with a hard disc failure. -This was the only program that could even could be started - CCC, SuperDuper and others crashed (and I could not reboot the disc one more time). Scheduling would be a helpful addition (and then it would be better than nearly every other program out there), but it is low priced and works. (This was perhaps the only backup program that did not need any big upgrade to handle Leopard backups.)  
(Version 1.9.1)

FONSR  Besides MimMac being an excellent app, the support from Benjamin is superb. Via email, he worked me through a couple issues with promptness, patience, and clear instructions. I am certainly glad I stumbled on this sync utility. In my opinion, it's worth every bit of the $10 registration fee - and (don't tell Benjamin...) even more.

Appreciate MacMim's trial to be a timed trial, not a crippled version trial.

Documentation is straitforward and clear. Not wordy and obscure like so many.  
(Version 1.8.7)

STEVE SILANSKY  I've looked for backup software for quite some time now - MimMac really fits the bill and of the shareware programs, it is also the cheapest. It has heaps of options and when I did have a query, the developer went to amazing lengths to make sure my question was answered.

Highly recommended both on terms of product functionality as well as support.  
(Version 1.8.4)

SLOW_RIVER  Outstanding support!

I bought MimMac on 10 March and had problems activating the app, which refused its (legit) Key number. I emailed support@ascendantsoft.com and got a prompt reply from Benjamin Timm. He suggested a fix. Did't work.

We exchanged 19 emails, over a period of 6 days. Benjamin remained patient, courteous even, at all times, and kept coming up with something new to try. He eventually found something that worked for me.

I expect--and get--support like this from the likes of Adobe, when I bought Photoshop, which is painfully expensive.

Benjamin gave me the same quality of support for a little app for which I had paid $10.

You gotta like the guy!

The app now works as advertised. Yes, it does backups, quite nicely, too.

slow_river  
(Version 1.8.4)

ALABLO  Hi, I tried few backup app demos (to create bootable external disk) before puchase one : Personal Backup, Backup Simplicity and MimMac. The last one was the quickest, the simplest, the cleanest (no invisible files on destination disk) and, last but not least, by far, the cheapest.   
(Version 1.8.4)

TITWELL  It is not for naught I'm know as "left handed Eddie" even if I am right handed. Were possible to screw up brushing your teeth, I could it. Despite this, I bought an external drive with a view toward cloning my HD to mitigate the disasters I was so prone to having.

Acquainting myself with the techie vocabulary of the nerdy set, I learned about "source" and "destination" and a few other tricky subtleties and choosing a well know utility to oversee my operation, I plunged ahead with visions of bootable clones dancing in my head. What danced in my head in the end was a migraine headache.

Let me get to the bottom line, I stumbled across MimMac right here at this site, and with a little hand holding from MimMac support, I made my bootable clone like a pro. This neat utility can do it all, but I can speak personally only to the cloning part. I've done two so far and if there's a better or easier way to go, I have an open mind Ñ tell me about it.  
(Version 1.8.4)

ASCENDANT SOFTWORKS SUPPORT  Maskman:

First, MimMac does not make any changes to file permissions on your source drive -- never has, and never will. Second, MimMac reported skipping files during your clone because, obviously, your destination drive was not completely empty (there were identical files on your destination) -- this almost always ends up in a clone that is damaged, or unbootable, especially if the files on the destination were the remains of a different system. When making a clone for the first time, it is vital that you start with a completely empty destination volume -- which is why MimMac comes with a quick-start guide that gives comprehensive instructions on how to make your clone right the first time.

And as always, contacting Ascendant Softworks support is always a better way to get timely help that can save you a lot of trouble -- we're happy to help, and more often then not, the solution is quite simple.

Thanks anyways,

Ascendant Softworks Support

  
(Version 1.8)

MASKMAN  I am an individual with a Mac G5 wanting to clone a boot drive for portability. This little program works quite well where others have failed miserably! The Bounceback Express software furnished with my Seagate drive would not allow this. So I read reviews and tried Synk 6.x, a freeware which would not work correctly with Tiger 10.4.7 - it would repeatedly abort the process, finishing only about half the files! I read the reviews more carefully and closed in on MimMac 1.8 and it was a good move! Ten bucks and there are no problems, no questions, no freezeups. And excellent speed to back up over 30 GB, less than 70 minutes the first time. I am appreciative to the developer, so far.

maskman  
(Version 1.8)

KEMACSABE  Certainly a user-friendly app. I'm still in the Trial mode (20 days to try it out!) and I find it fairly easy to go through. The quick-start guide is very helpful, especially the info on how to create a bootable clone. I've only had one question for the developer so far and I got a reply in less than an hour. Service. The one item missing thus far is an automated backup feature that lets you define when auto backups will occur; developer is working on that. Currently, some folks are using Applescript to do this. For the price, MimMac is clean, clear, and sleak. It's definitely growing in the right direction. I'll be purchasing the single-user license, I'm sure.  
(Version 1.8)

ASCENDANT SOFTWORKS SUPPORT  Since two users have posted the same concern, I have decided to post the answer here again to make it more visible.

Minor releases of MimMac (version x.x.x) do not grant additional trial periods, that is something that only major releases do (version x.x), so that non-registered users can try out the new features. If at any time in the past you ran an older version of MimMac, then that original trial period has expired and you must wait until the next major release to be granted an additional 20-day trial period.

Thanks for your interest in MimMac.  
(Version 1.7.1)

SUPERMATT  Hellooooooooo?? AUthor???

You say this isn't the best venue to receive support but your program DOES NOT WORK! THE THING IS EXPIRED WWHEN YOU LAUNCH IT! Are you listening to your reviewers??  
(Version 1.7.1)

JEFF   This was some of the best $ I spent!

Don't have time for a long review, but it works GREAT every time!  
(Version 1.5.9)

KIWIGRAY  What was the point in downloading. It looked good but then immediately said the licence had expired and it was quitting. Hate it when that happens.   
(Version 1.5.7)

JON RICHARDSON  Clean, simple interface with powerful and comprehensive features. This is an excellent utility and I recommend it unreservedly.  
(Version 1.5.5)

ASCENDANT SOFTWORKS SUPPORT  ZachEagle:

If you would like timely support, this is not the best venue -- I'd be more than happy to help you, but you must contact our customer support at: support@ascendantsoft.com

Thanks  
(Version 1.5)

ZACHEAGLE  Tried it, but won't open. Keeps crashing before even displaying a window. Happened in both 10.4 and after 10.4.1 upgrade. Any help would be appreciated before I spend money on this product. Sounds like it does great things. I have my crash log saved in case the author would like a copy for debugging. Thanks!  
(Version 1.5)

ASLEITZ  With Tiger I could not get Carbon Copy to work... I tied alot of other backup utilities but this one did the trick. I liked it so much I paid th $10. Complete bootable backups on Tiger.. Keep up the great work  
(Version 1.4.1)

ANONYMOUS  This is simply the best backup solution I have found, and I have tried many different programs. MimMac is fast, easy, reliable, and has great support.   
(Version 1.4)

MOOF  Seems like a nice interface, but if I want to back up my entire home folder with the exception of two or three folders (my DIVX movies in my movies foler and my Virtual PC Data folder), I have a complex setup process. I would like to see an exclusions area where I can select all folders and files in a folder to be backed up (my home) EXCEPT for whatever I exclude. Then I'd use this bar none. I have to stick with using Toast for now which takes forever since it has issues backing up preference and cache files that are in use.  
(Version 1.1.3)

MANGOMAMBO  Back up my system and easily boot up from ext HD ,THANK YOU SO MUCH !  
(Version 1.1.3)

ASCENDANT SOFTWORKS SUPPORT  Danal:

As far as we can tell, MacUpdate's download link works fine with Safari and IE. Regardless, try command-clicking or right-clicking (if you have a two-button mouse) on the download link and tell your browser to "Save link as". That should download the file to your download folder instead of to a browser window.  
(Version 1.1)

DANAL  The file wont download at 0850 EST 2/23/2004.

(I only got a pagefull of typed characters)

I'd love to be reminded when the link is up and running again.

Danal  
(Version 1.1)

INQUISITOR  Quick, intuitive, easy, excellent design. Just what I was looking for.

macmend: You obviously didn't download and try the software, CCC strictly clones your entire drive...and what freeware/donationware backup application does backup/sync operations and makes bootable backups?? I don't know of any.....  
(Version 1.0.6)

MACMEND  why bother with this when donate ware like Bombich's Carbon Copy Cloner and others does the job without the shareware tag  
(Version 1.0.6)

PISMO  I found the filter did not let me exclude folders I did not want backed up.   
(Version 1.0.1)