• Eric and Jay make good points. I don't understand why anyone would store all their data on their laptop. Companies routinely provide personal shares on the network that are backed up. Smaller companies may not do this, but then alternative backup options exist.

    The main issue I have is the ridiculous cost the study author(s) came up with. It is the same methodology that software companies use to determine lost profits from unlicensed use, the music companies use to determine the cost of listening to unpurchased songs, and probably similar to the science behind the Mayan calendar and the end of the world. Sadly, I seemed to have missed that last event due to being abducted by aliens, although they seem to have returned me to the same planet in an alternate reality. Just not one that is alternate enough to stop these stupid studies based entirely on opinion.

    Losing laptops, smart phones, iPads and other devices is costly, yes. I just completed a study, though, that proves the cost of studies far outweigh any cost associated with lost data. I plan on posting it on the Internet for all as soon as I find out what the aliens did with my laptop.

    Seriously, I believe the cost is in one of two broad ranges. Those companies that employ halfway intelligent people, and that listen to the experts in their technology department, probably encur costs for the laptop, and some labor involved in purchasing a new one and deploying it. I think a figure between $1,000 and $3,000 is reasonable. I believe most companies fall in this range. The mean value would almost certainly be within this range as well.

    The other range, well, are we sure those instances aren't from the current US government?

    Dave