[at-l] Re: Re Data Books in PDA format

[krk@mail.speakeasy.org (Kenneth Knight)]

Most of the current crop of devices are rugged enough. They'll bust if you fall on them over and
over again, but if they're reated with modest care they'll survive.

I gave serious thought to putting the Data Book and others on my MessagePad. I could have done it
easily enough, but never did.  My reason was that I still prefer to read those types of things on
paper. However, I am a special case given my low vision. 

I may decide to put some inforatmion on a PDA for my upcoming hike. The ALDHA Companion material is
what comes to mind at first since I won't carry that book (or sections of it). 

As to "philosophical" issues. This isn't such an issue for me. I'm still doing the trip. It is me
putting out the effort to get to where I want to go. I may be using an unusal tool or two in this
case to accomplish my goal, but the trip is still mine.

For me, as I think I've written before, I can take myself back somewhere by reading my journals. And
if I didn't have the option of a good PDA (like my Newton) those would be a lot more sparse (I've
done them both ways and so know what I am tallking about). 

  ** Ken **

ps- For those that want a hard number the most heavily used Newton, a Messagepad 2100, has probably
seen  at least 100 days of backpacking, a week or so seakayaking, and I've no idea how many weeks of
just general purpose travel (more than backpacking). It continues to survive quite handily though it
may be drawing power faster than it once did (I just pop the batteries out when I'm not using it, I
don't care if the time is in correct).

**  Kenneth Knight    Web Design, IT Consultant, Software Engineer  **
**       krk@speakeasy.org        http://www.speakeasy.org/~krk     **