I would have to say this is a matter of personal preference...... If you prefer using a Divelog App on your smartphone, great!! If you would rather use a paper log (my personal preference)... great!!!
It's a matter of what you prefer, and who cares what anyone else thinks?
Adam
I never understood the "personal preference" posts. Sorry, Adam, I don't mean to be snarky, but of course it's a personal preference.
The only reason why we have an online community at all is so that we can exchange viewpoints, right? So the whole reason for us posting here is to say what we like, why we like it, and perhaps someone will read this and say "Hey, the thing that I've been doing for years? Maybe this is a better way!"
I really don't understand why there is a current of aversion to going digital in some of these threads (paper vs. computer logs, tables vs. dive computers). I guess that some people just don't have a computer of any type and can only keep paper logs, but that's pretty rare in 2012, especially among people who have enough disposable income to pursue an expensive hobby like scuba diving.
Seriously, I can't think of one thing that the paper log does that isn't far better done digitally. If you want a paper log so that your dive logs will survive the EMP attack that wipes out all of our computers, just print them out as you go and keep a backup in a binder. You can bring that binder or a duplicate copy with you if you feel that you need paper documentation when you travel. Whatever data you store in a paper log - a little or a lot - you can have the exact same thing in a digital log (unless you have your buddy signatures notarized, I guess). And the thought of all of that irreplaceable information existing in only one physical object - an object that is made of paper and that is routinely taken out to sea - just seems like a total data loss waiting to happen. And the arguments about losing computer data only apply to those people foolish enough to have no physical and/or cloud backups, which in 2012 is pretty inexcusable, especially since we are talking about a few MB of data at most, even for thousands of dives. As far as format goes, most programs let you export as UDCF, formatted PDF logbook pages, XML, or even comma separated variables, which will be readable until we are back to scratching our dives into rocks with a sharp stick.
Finally, a 500+ page logbook would be pretty heavy to carry around, and I'm not even close to being the most experienced diver on this thread. But my phone will have all of my dives no matter how many I do in the future...
