Found this handy and used the application mentioned and the libraries it points to try try it out. Was fairly simple to do, limited really by my bad internet download speeds.

Welcome to the forum! Excellent post.

I've been looking at these projects recently. I'm still confused about why this is better than just a cellphone or tablet, inside a Pelican case, with a backup battery and an external drive? 

It sounds like the bulk of the information is downloaded and stored to an external drive or sd cards. I already have 8gb(?) of survival and related documents, as well as literature for simple entertainment. If you added the 80gb of wikipedia. You'd have essentially the same thing. You could add a cheap external keyboard and mouse. 

Additional external drives could contain movies and tv shows. I guess the stored data types are endless.

Anyway. Why is this better? Seems like alot of 3d printing for not much advantage. 

So I did this as a case of "I don't know what I don't know" and wanted to have the information at hand. While I didn't do it as per the video with the hard case 3d printing etc, I did setup the application and pulled the references that I felt were worth while (Wikipedia, books, gardening etc) to have. These live on a laptop.

While I don't think it's a replacement for the specific survival / emergency books, these are good for reference, I feel, for those one off things that come up that you didn't foresee. Example, I was musing with a friend how things would go on an n+1 days after shtf, and he pointed out "do you know how to grow coffee and roast it?" and it was something that I had neglected to learn think of.

Also an quick edit: I don't think that this is better than external drives. It's how I set mine up. But having a waterproof container that acts as a wifi hotspot so many people can access it at once? Might be handy, but it may not suit everyone's use case.

This guy goes into detail about using kiwix to open downloads of wntire sites (like wikipedia) for viewing on your phone or computer.

He also links in the description to a huge amount of downloads. Mostly entire sites that are dedicated to various types of knowledge bases.


https://youtu.be/N1aQX9HO8-4?si=BkipG13hTEJVAE4S

Quote from: Suneate on December 30, 2023, 03:41:19 PMSo I did this as a case of "I don't know what I don't know" and wanted to have the information at hand. While I didn't do it as per the video with the hard case 3d printing etc, I did setup the application and pulled the references that I felt were worth while (Wikipedia, books, gardening etc) to have. These live on a laptop.

While I don't think it's a replacement for the specific survival / emergency books, these are good for reference, I feel, for those one off things that come up that you didn't foresee. Example, I was musing with a friend how things would go on an n+1 days after shtf, and he pointed out "do you know how to grow coffee and roast it?" and it was something that I had neglected to learn think of.

Also an quick edit: I don't think that this is better than external drives. It's how I set mine up. But having a waterproof container that acts as a wifi hotspot so many people can access it at once? Might be handy, but it may not suit everyone's use case.

There is definitely value in being able to share this info from your phone or tablet with others. Via hotspot.

I would assume an android phone uses alot less power than a tablet. But with the tablet you have a manageable screen. Can you use an external drive with an android phone? I've never tried. I only assume you can with a tablet.

A low power tablet, with external drive and keyboard and mouse. Might be the sweet spot here? 

This guy takes it one step smaller. He built a tiny kiwix server out of a board about tue size of your thumb. That basically stores all the data and websites on sd. You log into it via phone or computer using wifi. And access the informatiin that way. 

So it has no screen or other interface. Just a tiny drive that you can pull the info from via wifi.

https://www.waynepiekarski.net/blog/2017/05/mediatek-perl-wikipedia.htm

Still seems like an external drive hooked to an android phone would be easier. 

That is a really great point on the android and I hadn't given it the thought it deserved. I believe that you can, but without looking into it in great detail, would need specific connections for it. It also has the "how much effort are people willing to put in?" As I know some like minded folks in my circle are have stated "unless it's printed, it's useless". I can see that point, if something goes wrong with the drive, phone, laptop and you don't have the appropriate backups, then you've lost that repository of information.

I feel that this is a solution for some, but not for others. Although, I hope this gives some people pause to think if they've got the right solution for them.

But it's done something I wanted which is someone to challenge what I thought was right, and give me a differing perspective on it and make me re-evaluate how I approached a solution to maintaining a repository of reference.

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 03:43:26 PMThis guy goes into detail about using kiwix to open downloads of wntire sites (like wikipedia) for viewing on your phone or computer.

He also links in the description to a huge amount of downloads. Mostly entire sites that are dedicated to various types of knowledge bases.


https://youtu.be/N1aQX9HO8-4?si=BkipG13hTEJVAE4S

Hadn't seen this video from him. Thanks for sharing!

How to connect an external drive to an android phone:

You need the drive in fat32 or exfat format. A simple cable connector. And appropriate software to open files.

The external hard drives do require more power. How much? I don't know.

https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-connect-a-1TB-hard-disk-with-an-Android-smart-phone

Quote from: Suneate on December 30, 2023, 03:59:36 PMThat is a really great point on the android and I hadn't given it the thought it deserved. I believe that you can, but without looking into it in great detail, would need specific connections for it. It also has the "how much effort are people willing to put in?" As I know some like minded folks in my circle are have stated "unless it's printed, it's useless". I can see that point, if something goes wrong with the drive, phone, laptop and you don't have the appropriate backups, then you've lost that repository of information.

I feel that this is a solution for some, but not for others. Although, I hope this gives some people pause to think if they've got the right solution for them.

But it's done something I wanted which is someone to challenge what I thought was right, and give me a differing perspective on it and make me re-evaluate how I approached a solution to maintaining a repository of reference.

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 03:43:26 PMThis guy goes into detail about using kiwix to open downloads of wntire sites (like wikipedia) for viewing on your phone or computer.

He also links in the description to a huge amount of downloads. Mostly entire sites that are dedicated to various types of knowledge bases.


https://youtu.be/N1aQX9HO8-4?si=BkipG13hTEJVAE4S

Hadn't seen this video from him. Thanks for sharing!

"But it's done something I wanted which is someone to challenge what I thought was right, and give me a differing perspective on it and make me re-evaluate how I approached a solution to maintaining a repository of reference. "

This is a great way of thinking. And is one of my top uses for this forum "to vette my assumptions. Or knowledge thus far." 

I think the key points to creating a knowledge reference for post shtf:

1) Must be low power.
2) Lightweight and small form factor for carrying it in your backpack. I don't think "printing everything out" is practical at all. Have any idea how much paper in a gb of data? A f*ck ton. Might be advisable at a stationary location. To avoid drives going bad. But you would need to empty a library of books to catalog all the printed information.
3) Easily shareable. But any phone that can set up a wifi hotspot would work. 
4) Rugged and long lasting. I don't know which storage devices are the most rugged or long lasting. 
5) Not to expensive.

If we can answer these concerns I think we might have a winner. But undoubtedly someone has already done this. We just have to find them. Easier said than done with today's pitifully commerce driven search engines. Lol. 

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 04:17:13 PMI think the key points to creating a knowledge reference for post shtf:

1) Must be low power.
2) Lightweight and small form factor for carrying it in your backpack. I don't think "printing everything out" is practical at all. Have any idea how much paper in a gb of data? A f*ck ton. Might be advisable at a stationary location. To avoid drives going bad. But you would need to empty a library of books to catalog all the printed information.
3) Easily shareable. But any phone that can set up a wifi hotspot would work.
4) Rugged and long lasting. I don't know which storage devices are the most rugged or long lasting.
5) Not to expensive.

If we can answer these concerns I think we might have a winner. But undoubtedly someone has already done this. We just have to find them. Easier said than done with today's pitifully commerce driven search engines. Lol.

Exactly. Someone out there has done it, or done something close enough that can be adapted for a persons circumstance.

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 04:17:13 PMThis is a great way of thinking. And is one of my top uses for this forum "to vette my assumptions. Or knowledge thus far."

That is my thinking as well. Someone here has done it, or something close to it and has the experience to share. I can learn from that, and any mistakes that they made and use it to make me better.

Quote from: Suneate on December 30, 2023, 04:35:23 PM

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 04:17:13 PMI think the key points to creating a knowledge reference for post shtf:

1) Must be low power.
2) Lightweight and small form factor for carrying it in your backpack. I don't think "printing everything out" is practical at all. Have any idea how much paper in a gb of data? A f*ck ton. Might be advisable at a stationary location. To avoid drives going bad. But you would need to empty a library of books to catalog all the printed information.
3) Easily shareable. But any phone that can set up a wifi hotspot would work.
4) Rugged and long lasting. I don't know which storage devices are the most rugged or long lasting.
5) Not to expensive.

If we can answer these concerns I think we might have a winner. But undoubtedly someone has already done this. We just have to find them. Easier said than done with today's pitifully commerce driven search engines. Lol.

Exactly. Someone out there has done it, or done something close enough that can be adapted for a persons circumstance.

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 04:17:13 PMThis is a great way of thinking. And is one of my top uses for this forum "to vette my assumptions. Or knowledge thus far."

That is my thinking as well. Someone here has done it, or something close to it and has the experience to share. I can learn from that, and any mistakes that they made and use it to make me better.

I like you already!

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 05:00:59 PMI like you already!

 
It's been a very productive discussion

Quote from: Suneate on December 30, 2023, 05:47:41 PM

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 05:00:59 PMI like you already!

 
It's been a very productive discussion

I just found a great tutorial for getting on and searching the dark web. Which I spent many hours researching to no avail like 3 minths ago. Lol. Not that that has anything to do with this discussion.


https://youtu.be/U2-JPqrALsA?si=zxivOh3_F6ku7bPq

Links like that are useful. There is a giant rabbit hole to go down if you are up for it. But we might be getting away from the topic at hand

Quote from: Suneate on December 30, 2023, 07:14:47 PMLinks like that are useful. There is a giant rabbit hole to go down if you are up for it. But we might be getting away from the topic at hand

For sure. 

I will do some more research on phone databases tomorrow. 

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 07:34:06 PMI will do some more research on phone databases tomorrow.

I went digging in the shed and found and old Android phone so giving it a try once it charges

Quote from: Suneate on December 30, 2023, 07:50:04 PM

Quote from: Moab on December 30, 2023, 07:34:06 PMI will do some more research on phone databases tomorrow.

I went digging in the shed and found and old Android phone so giving it a try once it charges

I have one too. That also takes removable batteries. Which is a plus. 

So...

I've been collecting .pdf documents since they became available in that new thing they called the Internet.  It was very handy to have electronics datasheets on my computer while doing projects for classes.  This evolved into finding whatever info I could and trying to organize it.

ORGANIZE DOCUMENTS AS YOU FIND THEM.

About 10 years ago or more, I started studying off-grid power, automotive 12V power, and solar power.

I found a wireless router with a USB port for sharing documents.  I was concerned with off-grid 12V power usually being more than 12V.  With some guidance from an electronics professor, I started working on an 12VDC power supply with a low drop out regulator.

An Android phone without cellular service is basically a little tablet, isn't it?

If you want to share the info with people, a computer with router is easier.  SD cards are good for personal use.  I guess some schools in 3rd world countries use them to share info in classes.  I don't think they call them cyberdecks, though...

I don't endorse all these pages, but try to see what they've done, and build on it...

PirateBox

LibraryBox

MAZI
http://mazizone.eu/

File Server with SAMBA

Internet-in-a-box

SolarSPELL
https://solarspell.org/

Colfax
https://www.fastcompany.com/3031444/this-smart-backpack-has-its-own-wi-fi-network-and-storage

Tiny Banned Books Library
https://anarchosolarpunk.substack.com/p/bannedbooklibrary

Low Tech Magazine
https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/archives.html
A solar powered website.

FreedomBox
https://freedombox.org/

Raspberry Pi Backpack
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/raspberry-pi-backpack
https://www.pcgamer.com/these-raspberry-pi-backpacks-are-what-my-childhood-spy-dreams-were-made-of/

https://www.reddit.com/r/raspberry_pi/comments/yxs9hb/currently_working_on_a_fully_portable_raspberry/
https://forums.raspberrypi.com/viewtopic.php?t=112785

Computer in a backpack
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2016/5/26/11789096/msi-backpack-pc-virtual-reality
https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/25/11504118/zotac-stuffed-a-pc-into-a-backpack-for-untethered-vr-gaming

Cyberdeck
https://www.zerodisastersurvival.com/post/digital-prepping-is-the-cyberdeck-a-necessary-tool-for-the-apocalypse
https://cyberdeck.cafe/build

RATIS
https://electronicsdeli.net/2020/11/22/cyberdeck-build-r-a-t-i-s/

Digital Continuity Kit
https://www.zerodisastersurvival.com/post/building-a-digital-continuity-kit

CIVTAK/ATAK
https://www.civtak.org/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbiFR6MiKBtUOMdn5SbXE-g

wolf_from_wv:

Excellent links. Thank you for sharing. I will be going thru them.

An android without cell service is a tablet basically. But you can share docs with others locally via wifi or hotspot. So if you had an android phone with an external drive. You could share everything with whoever you wanted - locally. 

Assuming the power is out. A computer with a wireless router would work similarly. But it would be much larger and draw alot more power. 

My current phone takes a 128gb micro sd card. I have about 8gb of survival and other docs on it. Enough that I could not read them all in a lifetime. My old android takes a 64gb card I think. And has a removable battery. I think I have 5 spares. And an external charger that can hook up to a solar panel or larger battery.

The external drives use a fair amount of power. So it may be easier to use sd cards. I bought a 512gb on black friday for like 15 bucks iirc. Two of those and you've got a tb of data. And they are smaller than a fingernail. Not as hardy as a solid state drive. But perhaps once stationary that would be a better option. 

I always try to consider worse case scenario. Like a PAW.  

In a PAW having all that data - low powered, small enough to take in your pack, with rechargeable/removable spare batteries seems like the sweet spot at this point of our discussion. But please convince me otherwise. Cause if you do I'll know it's an even better solution.

This is a very good thread.  For powering your devices in an emergency I'm adding a new topic in "Electric Power" forum.