Research Storage & Organization: Local Files, Cloud Drives, and Full-Page Archives Compared
Researchers rarely fail from lack of storage. They fail from lack of retrieval and fidelity.
Three storage postures
| Posture | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Local files | Control | Search across projects is painful |
| Cloud drives | Sharing | Still link-rot if “storage” is only PDFs of URLs |
| Full-page archives | Proof + search | Requires disciplined naming and retention |
Combine, do not choose one religion
Use drives for assets and an archive tool for volatile evidence pages.
Practical rule
If losing the page would change a decision, archive the page, not only the PDF.
