What if you lost connectivity to your Contacts address book?

I was emailing someone and I thought to myself that I don't have their email other than saved in my inbox and was wondering how many people rely solely on online storage of their contacts or even contacts saved on a phone or a computer. How many of you have them printed out in entierty in a book/binder/"dayrunner" or heaven forbid a roledex!? I'm very curious as to how many people still keep hard copies of contact data and how many younger kids do it.

Think about a major disaster and no internet and you are stranded away from home, how would you be able to get in contact with people you know to either let them know you are alright, or to find out if they are ok or what is going on in their neck of the woods?

Is there something that is small and can keep all the data that isn't electronic? What is the best way to do this in modern times? I would guess there has to be programs that can transfer contact infrormation into some ofther format like index cards that can be printed (even roledex like cards - just hole punch index cards!!)

So what do you all use and what are the habits?

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

I have mine written in a little book. Works for me.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

I have my contacts saved on my home computer and on a waterproof notepad at home in my file cabinet. It wasn't always that way though, and I've definitely learned from past mistakes.

I have a small, old, very old address book with all my connections. The day I quit real estate, I threw my cell phone as far away as I could in a lake.

My contacts are on my device (accessible without internet connection) as well as backed up to my Google account (accessible anywhere with internet). Other than that, I have several important phone numbers memorised. I'll always be able to get a hold of someone if I need to.

originally posted by: Night Star
a reply to: DigginFoTroof

I have mine written in a little book. Works for me.

Cripes... I have about 4 or 5 address books with all of my REAL LIFE contacts in them...

Good to know that some of us are still living in the real world.

I don't know what people would do if they lost electricity...

OH... and by the way Night Star... Happy belated ATS Birthday my dear.

Hugs n stuff

Lags

a reply to: DigginFoTroof
I was startled to discover, before Christmas, that my nephew's parents did not know his current postal address; "We make contact by e-mail or Facebook". Several times, over recent years, they have had to ask for my telephone number, or a cousin's telephone number, because some P.C. mishap had caused them to lose it again.
My father used to keep a notebook of the current addresses of everybody on his Christmas card list. I have annexed this notebook and still use the pages to update the postal and other contact details of my smaller number of contacts.

I would hazard a guess that the people on this forum are no where near the norm when it comes to situations such as this. I would think that the population at large, especially the younger ones might not have these types of backups, but one can hope that they have the foresight to see that there could be a potential failure in the system and have a need for a hard copy. I would think this would be a good topic for every county to list on their websites on "emergency preparedness" type section - if they have one.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

if you have no internet - how are you going to e-mail people ?

now the sensible reply :

i back up everything on a 1 week , 1month , 3 month , 6 month , 1 year schedule [ NAS drive & stand alone drive ]

my prioroties for what gets backed up most regularly - are what i think is most important

contacts lists are backed up only once every 3 months - yes i make new contacts - but even if i loose the details for someone - people i know can put me back in touch

as for hard copies - i only have physical printout of 4 contacts - thats waterproof laminated - and thats the people who i would expect to help me if i was stranded somewhere and needed external aid

my bottom line view is - that if i loose all the stuff i have - then there isnt going to be the infrastructure left to contact anyone anyway

I use those little 4"x6" spiral notebooks to keep information such as that in it - telephone numbers, names, addresses, e-mail addresses, etc. And I've been using them for decades. I also use them for my grocery lists and data about every picture I shoot on film - which is quite a lot of shots as I have over 200 cameras in my collection. I always joke and say these notebooks are my "high-tech I-pads," they never need batteries and don't go dead when I most need them!

I do regular back ups daily, weekly to flash drive, and daily to cloud.

My contacts/passwords are duplicated on each devise via OpenPuff.

I have an address book on the stand next to my chair i update...


And believe it or not, i remember phone numbers, emails, addresses, of over 100 people. Still know my wife's number from 18 years ago.

waterproof notepad at home in my file cabinet.

Oooh. I like that idea.

Lost many contacts many times...life goes on.
a reply to: DigginFoTroof

originally posted by: theatreboy
and daily to cloud.

Heaven knows, clouds never dissipate. I think that's what the OP was suggesting that we not overly rely on because things electrical do fail. Thank goodness you have that old-fashioned address book in your employ as well!

a reply to: TrulyColorBlind

i know you were not replying to me - but yes - i too rely on 2 clouds [ google and microsoft ] . my own comp network - with descktop , tablet and phone + 2 online and one off line drive

if ALL that fails // becomes innaccessible // lost - i dont think i will be able to send an email or make a call

I'd lose the"keep addresses in quantum superposition" option if ATS went down .

If there was no Internet, would we even be able to use the phones?

I imagine that even landline exchanges rely on Internet connections in some form.

If the Internet goes, we'll probably be communicating via your kid neighbour on a pushbike.

A pen & a notebook works for me for all numbers, emails and addresses, though I do have them saved to my email account & phone. I kind of pity folks who rely on just one method only, BUT I can see how the ol' pen & paper method works for people. It's worked for thousands of years, after all, writing with an instrument on a writing material.

I've lost info both the digital way & the conventional way, those backups are valuable for a reason. I ain't covering my proverbial ass for no good reason, I learned from experience. Hopefully nobody with just a notebook and nothing else or just digitized contacts & nothing else ever has to follow my footsteps here.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof


Little address book and memory

If they really need to talk to me they will. If not?

I've had my phone stolen, I've upgraded my computer and now it won't boot, I've several computers in several OSes that have bits and scraps, I have old phones with some info on that only need a charge, and sim cards laying about in plastic bags.

You never really lose your contacts. You only lose your convenience of having them all at hand!