The data in the lighting desk is not just created by the lighting programmer, but the total protection and distribution of the data falls on the programmer as well…Many things can lead to a loss of data (either complete or partial), and the programmer must be prepared for anything. I have heard tales of consoles failing, data getting corrupt, desks being stolen, buildings burning down, incorrect show files loading, and much more. In all these cases, a proper backup of the show file allowed the programmer to restore the data with very minimal loss. Programmers must always be diligent about backing up and archiving lighting console data…I have said it again and again, and will yet again: If saving properly, you should never lose more than 30 minutes of work.
-Brad Schiller, from “Feeding the Machines,” PLSN, Aug. 2017, page 65
