Thanks again. This is helpful. My "network" consists of one machine used by me, my wife, and my 4-year old (it is wireless, though, and when my folks come to town, sometimes they access it, too, if I give them the security key ).

Eventually we will add another computer, but that's years down the road and by then who knows what kind of set-up and technology will be available. Anyhow, I suppose someday I will get around to backing up the photos on DVDs, but for now, I would like to get them onto an external storage device, just in case anything ever goes wrong with the "main" computer. A "back-up to the back-up" appeals to the risk manager in me, though.