Do you have all your survival info on your computer?

[Survivalcookie]

I have met several people who only rely on the internet for information....I try to finds books on subjects I need and spend a lot of time printing things off the net. Things I might need. I put my pages in those plastic sheet holders and divide them into categories, I was just thinking about this when posting in another thread. I have all kinds of things I have saved everything from soap making to cattail soup recipe, I have many articles on solar and wind and water power should thing be down along time. Just wondering who else does this.

 

[rockhopper46038]

Books are my friends. And so is a printer.

 

[repeter1977]

Books are a great idea, or printing things out help too, since its not like you will have advanced knowledge of when something will happen. I have the important information in books, or like you said, printed out.
Not sure if you already have it, but I would suggest the Special Forces Medical Book as well as the Special Forces Handbook. While they wont make you super ninja, and not all the information is needed for survival, it does have some good information, especially the Medical Book. Another good one would probably be the Merit Badge book for Wilderness Survival for the Boy Scouts. While not the best source, it also has some good information as well.
Just my 2 cents. Take it for what you will. Good luck.

 

[CathyInBlue]

Just remember, inkjet ink is not indelible. In fact, left in direct sunlight, inkjet ink will fade quite rapidly.

 

[Electronrider]

I have a half dozen "core" books that I make sure do not get loaned out or anything like that. I have my kindle that is slowly being filled with all kinds of stuff. I also have a thumb drive that has a LOT of PDF's and the like of related material.

If I had to, my 6 core books would get me by just fine. The rest of it is bonus material.

 

[gunbunnies]

For at the home... you would be well served to have printed copies of information. If your on the road or bugged out it is a much harder thing to pull off... I have most of the material I find needed in pdf format and backed up on thumb drives in my gear... Then included in the bob is a netbook which has been re-outfitted with a SSD hard drive to allow for more durability. The other item in there is a Go-Zero power charging system to re-supply the 10 hour battery for the netbook... Theres a lot of info in that little package and it doesn't take up that much space or wieght...

The other thing to knowledge is to train, and train, and do it again till things that you value are second nature... your brain is the best weapon you have in a SHTF situation...

 

[rockhopper46038]

I have a half dozen "core" books that I make sure do not get loaned out or anything like that. I have my kindle that is slowly being filled with all kinds of stuff. I also have a thumb drive that has a LOT of PDF's and the like of related material.

If I had to, my 6 core books would get me by just fine. The rest of it is bonus material.

Are you interested in sharing what your 6 "core" books are? I'm always looking for a resource I don't have.

 

[teddy12b]

Back when my wife was pregnant with #2 I was nervous about all things pregnancy post SHTF so I downloaded and saved a lot of articles onto my computer. I also printed those articles and organized them in dividers in a three ring binder. No if I have to leave I'm not going to take that book because I've already read the articles. The book would be a nice bit of reference material though if I ever needed it to be.

I use my computer to inventory everything on excel. Once that's complete I print out the latest copy and keep it in the book mentioned above so that I always have the most recent copy of it at the house.

Yes you can use a computer and it's to your advantage to do so, just make sure you print out the important things as well.

 

[ClydeB]

Im one of those digital packrats and grab a copy of anything I see prepper / survival related. Then spend time going through them and saving what I want into a calibre ebook database. I don't really print off of that content to hard copy. I usually just purchase the books outright if its something published that I want a physical copy of.

I do keep separate copies of the digital archives in separate locations on usb stick drives. One at home, one in my pocket that goes with me just about everywhere. A lot of them in my ebook reader that I tend to keep close at hand. And one at the office. Each one wrapped up in a truecrypt volume (except for the ebook reader) for my own piece of mind.

I figure short of an EMP I can get my hands on some type of computing device. If nothing else my ebook reader and a solar radio/usb charger.

 

[actaeon277]

Check out books at library to see if you like them. (Not always possible)
Buy books as you can afford.
1st aid, doctoring (beyond 1st aid), farming, how-to books, etc.
During SHTF, most people are getting outta Dodge, going food shopping, or to gun store.
Think about going to the library. Checkin some books out.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Books are heavy...

A portable solar setup and a small computer like storage/reading device with a redundant backup is much more portable and can hold a lot more info than you can dream about with books.

IMHO, a few core books are essential, but most other detailed preps are just fine stored on electronic media as long as the person has a way to continue viewing that media in a SHTF situation.

 

[Exodus]

I have more hard copies of things than I do digital.

 

[.38 Special]

I have a few hard copies. No worrying about how I'm gonna power a book. Open and read!

 

[Kmcinnes]

No, if I find something good I print it and place it in binders designated by subject, we are always finding good books as my mother in law works at a library and can get them at a substantial discount.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I like keeping the hard copies, but a lot of the stuff is much easier to just keep in a reader, ipod, smartphone, laptop, desktop and anywhere else that will hold them and remain portable. With a few parts one can find lying about I can come up with several simple ways to generate a charge so juice isn't a concern. I keep the stuff saved in every device I can put it in for redundancy.

 

[Survivalcookie]

I love books....it would have to be the end of the word for me to bug out....but I have printed several articles on things like making lye, tallow candles, and recipes for forged food like cattails and acorns. I really need to learn more on living off the land..just in case.

 

[repeter1977]

Books are heavy...

A portable solar setup and a small computer like storage/reading device with a redundant backup is much more portable and can hold a lot more info than you can dream about with books.

IMHO, a few core books are essential, but most other detailed preps are just fine stored on electronic media as long as the person has a way to continue viewing that media in a SHTF situation.

Agree, books are heavy (as Ive moved more times then I care to count and hate moving all the books that I have). That being said, in most of the SHTF scenarios, isn't it usually better to hole up somewhere and do something, instead of moving all over? I know being able to barter, farm and do some self sustaining things, would be easier if you had shelter, and the better the shelter, the better off you are going to be. If thats the case, put the books in your "shelter". Pretty sure the majority of us, would be locked away in your houses. Since you are already living there, then really doesnt matter the weight of the books. If you are bugging out from work to your shelter, a quick trip to the house to grab the rest of your gear, whats another couple books when you are using a vehicle?

 

[actaeon277]

Computers also use a LOT of POWER. You're going to collect power for a long time to use the computer a few minutes. Unless you have GREAT solar cells.
And solar cells deteriorate.
Gennys make noise and attract jealous people.
Wind turbines are visible and attract jealous people.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Computers also use a LOT of POWER. You're going to collect power for a long time to use the computer a few minutes. Unless you have GREAT solar cells.
And solar cells deteriorate.
Gennys make noise and attract jealous people.
Wind turbines are visible and attract jealous people.

Think outside the box here, try an exercycle or handcrank hooked to an old alternator with reduction gears/pulleys and the amount of time to charge is reduced drastically, or a paddle wheel in a stream....also, solar cells can be made just about anywhere you can build a fire so deterioration is not a big issue (besides, the store bought manufactured type last several decades).

 

[CathyInBlue]

Computers also use a LOT of POWER. You're going to collect power for a long time to use the computer a few minutes. Unless you have GREAT solar cells.
And solar cells deteriorate.
Gennys make noise and attract jealous people.
Wind turbines are visible and attract jealous people.

As Throttle Jockey said, think outside the box. There are lots of things out there these days which qualify as a "computer", but which sip power. The new Kindle Paperwhite says it can be used continuously for 8 weeks on a single charge, and it'll run Android.

Think outside the box here, try an exercycle or handcrank hooked to an old alternator with reduction gears/pulleys and the amount of time to charge is reduced drastically, or a paddle wheel in a stream....also, solar cells can be made just about anywhere you can build a fire so deterioration is not a big issue (besides, the store bought manufactured type last several decades).

Run that by me again, ThroJo. Making solar cells out of a campfire? I can't wait to hear this...