Compiled knowledge?

[JPGreco]

Has anyone thought of or actually done this?

I was thinking in a scenario where basically modern civilization breaks down (think Fallout 3 if you're familiar, minus the mutants), the loss of knowledge would be catastrophic. I've seen many movies where that is something that people work to recollect. Now I know it would be near impossible to catalog all of it, but for survival use, has anyone collected more than just maps and info on the local fauna and flora? I mean things you don't know like how to make a radio, more detailed instructions on how to work steel, etc, etc.

Also, has anyone thought about storing as much information as they could from the internet on something like a flash drive? Something that after resettlement occured could offer tons of lost knowledge?

I was thinking about it because I realized how much stuff I don't know that is available information. I know I could get books and such, but finances may prevent people from that. You could get the info online, print it, and keep it safe.

Any thoughts?

[Rick]

Actually, yes. Knowledge is power so it's a bit more important to have resource information available than to just know it. We've discussed the myriad ways of keeping a library through various media and I posted a couple of months ago on the costs associated with trying to print off paper copies. The short version is it's often less expensive to just purchase the manual than to attempt to print it when you consider ink and paper costs.

The Pocket Reference is about the most useful small book you will ever own. I also have quite a number of manuals on wood working and ancient tools as well as electrical reference books. I kept all of my college books so I have those for reference as well. This is in addition to my survival stuff such as medical, wild edibles, communications, security and so on. And our bibles. Yes, it takes up a good amount of space.

[BENESSE]

+1 on the Pocket Reference. We each have it in our BOB. Tiny book worth it's weight in gold.

[hunter63]

One word about that pocket reference.
Lots of math equations, so you have to know what you are doing to make use of some of it.

As far as additional reference even an old copy of the
Machine Tool hand Book has a LOT of practical stuff.
http://www.amazon.com/Machine-Tools-...0419442&sr=8-1

It can be downloaded for free, but lots of pages.

[SARKY]

It is not just having books, even if you had a book on field surgery, would you really want to do it or would you rather have a doctor with you? So having written knowledge is good but having skilled people with you is much better. Form a group of like minded people with different skill sets and cross train!

[southard]

Another avenue which works for me with a low boredom threshold for instruction is reverse engineering. Work backwards from finished to constituent parts.

[JPGreco]

Ok, so for those of you guys who do have some sort of library, what do you do to protect the investment? Are you readily able to protect them? I would think hauling them is a bit of an issue, so do you leave them to return to later?

[Rick]

I'm a bug in type guy so the manuals and paper copies are pretty much stuck here.I have a few books that go with me. My wild edibles, Where There is No Doctor and Where There is No Dentist as well as a couple of other books. I also have a lot of stuff on a portable hard drive that can go with us if we have to move.

[Winnie]

I'm a bug in type too. My books are in several formats. I have Books, PDF documents, and some on my Kindle. Don't forget subjects that may be overlooked, such as Chemistry, History and Geography. I was always taught any book will educate, the important skill is knowing how to read.