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I have a problem. I want the Master List list to meet several more or less mutually exclusive requirements:
- Easy to print (by definition when the SHTF, you need a hard copy);
- Easy for me to update (so ideally not 2 or 3 copies of the same data, in different formats like .TXT and .XLS and .HTM);
- Available in a long version with a lot of details (such as photos, shopping tips, maintenance tips, etc.), or in a short version ("checklist") to quickly make sure you have everything before leaving ;
- Easy to sort according to criteria (so you have to be able to put everything in a spreadsheet (like Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc);
To make my problem worse, the HTML standard does not allow tabs (ASCII character "\9"). Tabulators are automatically removed by your web browser!
Here is the least bad solution I've found so far:
- A single copy of the list in HTML (very portable between operating systems, very easy to access on the Internet);
- Three columns, and only three (the unique identifier of the object, a descriptive name, and the "parent" of the object, in order to have a hierarchy of containers and contents, such as the folder in a hard drive);
- Separate the columns both with commas as well as tabs (commas because the web browser won't remove them, tabs because it's less ugly to look at), even if you have to do a "search-and-replace" to remove one or the other when copying to another format;
- Put hyperlinks toward details, so that the main list remains short and easy to print (hyperlinks can be removed by copy-pasting the web page to a text page);
- I know it's not recommended to encode information in unique identifiers, but because it's so convenient, I try to roughly sort objects in decreasing order of importance (so the lower the identifier, the more important the object);
- Because the identifier is unique, I can simply put a single number on a container (mesh bag, dry bag, toolbox, cardboard box for moving, etc.), and I can immediately find out what this container should contain;
- I removed the "Quantity" column (rarely used, took up a lot of space, complicated the list). If it's important, I indicate the amount in parentheses in the object's description;
- To print, see 3.1) The size of the paper sheet.
Ideally, the Master List has a hyperlink for each object, which refers to additional information elsewhere on this site, such as:
- Photo: Main picture of the object (there can be others to explain details).
- Description: What is it? (without giving manufacturer's name or model)
- Design: Why is this object necessary? Among the various design options for this object, why these and not others? If I could tell a company how to build it, what would I change to have a better object?
- Includes: Sometimes, the object contains several other objects.
- Use: How is this object prepared for its first use? How is it used? How is its regular maintenance done?
- Vendor: How do I get another object exactly like that one? That can be a surprisingly difficult question! Vendors have a nasty tendency to: (i) change their on-line catalogues, breaking whatever hyperlinks you had; (ii) go out of business (because their market was stolen by some cheap Chinese imitation, or because corrupt Management killed the goose that laid the golden egg); or (iii) discontinue perfectly good products that are simple and inexpensive, so as to replace them with complicated and expensive ones; etc.
Moreover, and probably more importantly, if you cannot easily find a vendor for a given product using an Internet search engine, and the "Description" and "Design" fields here above, then that product is probably too rare and hard to replace to have the honor of being in this Kit.
All that being said, I want as far as possible to indicate which manufacturer and which model I currently use. To try to reduce my workload, since this information changes fairly often, I just add text in the picture itself of the object.
- Quantity: One by default.
- Price: Prices are either my best approximation, or the price indicated in the online catalog of the vendor (in Canadian dollars in 2019, no taxes). If a quantity is indicated for that object, the price is the total amount (unit cost times quantity). This price is also used to justify the value to insurers in case of a claim.
- Errors: Bad objects I've purchased, to avoid making the same mistake again, but also to better understand why this object is better.
First, see Legal Consideration #18.
Other sources of bias:
- I live in Canada (sometimes rather cold climate, relatively rich country, etc.).
- I don't want to climb Mt. Everest, but live comfortably in an apartment, while having the capacity to do "urban camping" in emergency situations.
- This is for a male bachelor (so nothing for families or women).
Of course, I'd eventually like to offer lists adapted to other climates, other marital statuses, other trades, etc. Please contact me if you have any suggestions!
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