Make a Backup of Your Gmail Account with Gmail Backup (Windows/Linux)

Many Gmail users have a nagging worry in the backs of their minds: What happens to my e-mail if Gmail gets hacked, broken, or accidentally switched off by the janitor? That's the risk, of course, of keeping your mail "in the cloud." Because it's not stored locally, you have no backup in the event of, um, cloud calamity.

Enter Gmail Backup, a free tool that downloads all your Gmail mail to your PC, complete with attachments. That not only gives you offline access to your messages, but also provides a local backup. Plus, you can upload mail to another Gmail account, which could prove handy if you're migrating for some reason.

Gmail Backup does require you to enable IMAP for your Gmail account, if you haven't already. The Windows version features an easy-to-use graphical interface, but Linux users are stuck with the command line. On the plus side, all versions of Gmail Backup are available free of charge. If you're the least bit concerned about the fate of your Gmail (hey, you never know), it's time well spent making a backup. [via Lifehacker]