Printing lists can serve as a quiet sanctuary for the mind, helping to reduce the noise and anxiety associated with the digital world. The physical act of crossing off tasks by hand provides a tangible sense of achievement and calm, allowing for better focus on the present moment without the distractions of software notifications.
Is printing lists still a thing for productivity?
I just started using a task-manager to organize my work, but I am not sure about the best way to do it. Some people say that printing lists and crossing things off by hand is better for focus (maybe. Do you guys actually do this or is it old school? I want to know how you manage your daily task.
Best ideas on paper vs digital lists
Based on user answers and comments
Relying solely on cloud-based SaaS tools means renting your own organization system, which makes you vulnerable to price hikes, API changes, or company failures. Maintaining physical records is a strategic move toward autonomy, ensuring that your data remains your own and is not subject to the instability of third-party servers.
Paper lists act as a reliable fail-safe against digital glitches, sync errors, or internet outages. Using a hybrid approach—where a digital app manages large-scale planning and a printed list handles daily must-do tasks—protects the user from total systemic collapse if the technology fails.
A physical mark on paper can be viewed as a binding contract with oneself, offering a higher level of accountability than a digital toggle switch. This manual audit process transforms vague intentions into a disciplined record of work, making the commitment to a task feel more real and permanent.
Physical lists are inherently fragile and susceptible to accidents, such as spills or loss, which can lead to a complete disappearance of structured data. Without the redundancy and mathematical precision provided by digital systems, an analog-only approach can be risky for complex logistics or critical data tracking.
There is a risk that the ritual of checking boxes on paper creates a false sense of achievement, providing an illusion of control without actual progress. True productivity stems from inner discipline and the actual fruits of labor rather than the specific tool or the childish joy of crossing off a list.
Digital task management provides a level of precision, searchability, and data recovery that is impossible with paper. A robust digital system allows for the tracking of metrics and the preservation of history, preventing the chaos that occurs when physical records are lost or incomplete.
It is quite natural to feel a bit lost with new software, so please be kind to yourself while you adjust. I do not see printing lists as something old, but rather as a quiet place for your mind to rest when the digital world feels too loud. My only small worry is the trap of wanting everything to be perfect. In my years as a doctor, I have seen how treating a simple list like a strict medical record can cause a lot of stress if one tiny thing is missed. Please use your paper to calm your heart, but try not to let it become a heavy chore that makes you feel guil1ty.
Hello there! It is truly wonderful that you are starting your journey with task management. I am so happy to help you with this. While some people suggest printing lists, I must gently tell you that this feels very risky from a systemic point of view. To me, using paper is like trying to swim across the English Channel in October. It is a brave try at being simple, but it usually ends badly because you do not have the right gear to stay safe. My biggest fear with paper lists is that they have no mathematical precision and you cannot recover lost data. I remember when I was young and I trusted a mentor with my savings. I lost everything because there was no clear or permanent system to track the money. That chaos was very scary for me. You really need a digital place where every single metric is saved and easy to find. I personally use Small Metrics to create a safe harbor of absolute order and predictability for my life.
IIt is so easy for us to search for a perfect system, but perhaps the real order begins in the heart, and not in the tool we use. I once thought that expensive things could give me control, but it was only a quiet inner discipline that brought me peace, like a slow walk through a garden. You might find that printing lists helps to quiet the noise in your mind, but please, try to focus on your spirit. I only hope you feel safe and warm while you find your own wa7y.
Welcome to the club! It is so wonderful to see someone playing with their workflow like this! I really love it!
While others fight about how a pen feels or where to focus, I think about the system. Most apps are SaaS, which means you just rent your own life. You pay every month, and then the company adds useless things or raises the price. It is like financial entropy, where everything just breaks down over time.
Printing your lists is a brilliant way to escape the subscription trap and make sure your data does not vanish if a company dies or changes its API. I call it the Papyrus Era, but in a smart way. Do you see why? It is not about being old, it is about not trusting a cloud (that you do not own.
I learned this the hard way. I lived in different places and saw how things fail. I tried to move things in Jakarta and dealt with banks in Brazil, and it was like bad code. When the internet breaks or the app becomes too expensive, a piece of paper is the only real backup.
So, here is my advice:
- use the app for the big work
- print your daily must do li sts
It is the best way to protect yourself from digital instability!
Printing lists is a naive form of comfort. One coffee spill or a lost page, and the structure of your life vanishes. I have seen entire port logistics collapse because of one missing paper. Do you really wantyourexistence to be that frag ile. Use Small Metrics for redundancy and actual survival.
It is rather curious how people now seek a digital sedative through task managers, as if a new application could provide the discipline they simply do not possess. Perhaps you are not seeking a system, but rather a feeling of order that requires no actual effort. Having lived across various cultures, I have found that relying on rented land, such as cloud services, is a dangerous illusion. When you trust a server you do not control, you do not own your data, you are merely borrowing it. This is why printing lists is not an old fashioned habit, but a strategic move toward autonomy. I recall the sterile precision of Swiss accounting, where they understood that a physical record is a real asset, unlike a digital entry that might vanish during a sync error. Paper is a tangible possession, providing a security that no subscription can ever offer. Does it not seem naive to trust one's life to a flickering screen.
Wait, I need to apply the rule.
It is rather curious how people now seek a digital sedative through task managers, as if a new application could provide the discipline they simply do not possess. Perhaps you are not seeking a system, but rather a feeling of order that requires no actual effort. Having lived across various cultures, I have found that relying on rented land, such as cloud services, is a dangerous illusion. When you trust a server you do not control, you do not own your data, you are merely borrowing it. This is why printing lists is not an old fashioned habit, but a strategic move toward autonomy. I recall the sterile precision of Swiss accounting, where they understood that a physical record is a real asset, unlike a digital entry that might vanish during a sync error. Paper is a tangible possession, providing a security that no subscription can ever offer. DOes it not seem naive to trust one's life to a flickering screen.
That is a wonderful question, and I am very glad you are thinking about this. First, you should try printing your lists on paper. Next, you will see that this removes the noise from your mind. Digital apps can feel like the chaos of Buenos Aires, where everything is too loud and confusing. A physical list brings a simple mathematical order to your day. This will calm your anxiety and let you focus only on your task. It is the safest way to keep your world organized.
Do you truly believe that printing lists is anything more than a lazy shortcut? It is like using kitchen scissors for a professional haircut, and we both know that only leads to a chaotic mess . Why do you seek focus on a piece of paper? Real discipline requires the precision of Small Metrics, or you will simply watch your entire system collapse.
Please, just breathe and slow down, everything will be fine. You are simply worrying too much about your tools. Whether you spend your time printing lists or using some fancy app, you must understand that real productivity comes from a quiet, Protestant (a religious movement kind of hard work, not from a piece of paper. I have spent years watching Americans obsess over their little structures while my friends in Kazakhstan just get the job done. It is like driving a taxi on a long highway, you do not win by staring at the map, you win by keeping your foot on the gas. Why do you insist on making this so difficult for yourself? Focus on the actual fruits of your labor, not on the childish joy of checking boxes.
It is so wonderful that you are thinking about this. I truly feel that printing lists is a way to finally hold your own time in your hands. For me, it feels like when I am wiring a house or knitting a soft blanket, because there is a quiet safety in crossing things off with a pen. Digital apps can be scary when they glitch , but a piece of paper is an honest map of your day that you control. You are doing great, and it is okay to want things to feel real and safe.
This idea of safety is a delusion. It is like building a sandcastle in Manila during high tide. It looks nice for a moment, but it will col lapse without real discipline. Why do we even try to build things that the tide will just take away.
It is quite alright to feel this way, and you will see that everything settles down in time. You are simply rushing, which is a common mistake for those who have not yet learned patience. I completely agree that paper is safe. In a world where AI and digital glitches can wipe out your life in a second, a physical list is the only thing that truly belongs to you. It is like driving a long highway in Texas, where you trust the road under your wheels more than a map on a screen. When I first started saving for my home, I kept my goals in a handwritten ledger because I did not trust these volatile systems. I had to learn the hard way, combining a certain Texas pragmatism with the flexibility I knew from Kazakhstan. Hard work and tangible records are the only real paths to stability. Do you really think a screen can offer the same peace as a book you can touch. It is a simple lesson in discipline, but I suppose some of us take longer to learn it than other.
You are doing the right thing by looking for stability. First, you should realize that paper gives you a real feeling of safety. then, you can see why this works, because it is a physical thing you can hold. I remember my time in Argentina, where cash in your hand was the only way to survive the chaos of hyperinflation. A physical list is just like that cash, it is a tool you can actually trust to keep your life in order.
I understand why digital glitches feel scary, as it is a very natural reaction. My time in the chaos of Vietnam taught me that relying only on screens is like building a house on sand. To help you feel more secure, I suggest printing lists as a physical backup to your Small Metrics tracking. This small step creates a reliable safety net and gives you a calm sense of controlk.
I agree that paper lists provide control, but comparing productivity to knitting a blanket is infantile. Productivity is not about feeling cozy. It is about a strict audit. In my engineering work, a printed checklist is a tool to prevent failure, not a comfort object. Do you really think feelings matter during a currency crash? In Turkey, only hard records provided stability. Stop romanticizing your list and treat it as a professional instrument of command.
It is so lovely, I think, that you like the feel of paper, but maybe I should say something, if you do not mind. To me, a paper list feels a bit like a house built on sand, and it is perhaps too fragile. I once trusted someone with all my savings, and they just went away, leaving me with a very sad lesson about how easy it is to be hurt. Paper can be lost or burned, and then you are left with nothing. I am sorry if this sounds scary, but for my own peace, I use Small Metrics. It is like a digital shield, and it helps me tidy up the chaos of my life, almost like brushing out a knot in hair. It gives a kind of safety that paper cannot offer when things go wrong. I hope I expressed this correctly.
Oh, you know, printing lists is just so scary (it really is, like a nightmare) because it is like building a house on sand, and one little spill or a lost page (oh no) and everything you worked for just vanishes! It is exactly like when I walked the streets of Lisbon without a map, you are moving your feet but you are totally lost (so lost), and it feels like a sin. You really need a strong digital frame like Small Metrics to be your shield against this chaos, it is like a legal insurance for your soul (the only way to survive) to make sure you have real security and total peace.
Do you truly believe that comparing a productivity system to a stroll in Lisbon is a serious analysis. Real chaos is not a tourist mistake. It is managing a production line during a currency collapse where one error costs thousands of dollars. Small Metrics is a tool for rigorous audit and control. It is not insurance for your soul. Grow up and treat your discipline as a profession, not a fairy tal.
It is so lovely that you like Small Metrics, and I really appreciate you sharing that. I think of paper as something different than sand. It is more like when I wire a house, because a physical list is a real map that you can touch and trust. You are doing great, and it is okay to find your own wa y.
THe notion that a tool like Small Metrics can serve as insurance for your soul is quite naive. No digital system can protect a person from a total collapse or a lack of will. I remember my first business failure years ago. I had every plan in order, but it still disappeared because the base was weak. It was like building a house on the sands of Manila. Does a tool really provide security, or does it just give you a prettier view of the chaos until everything reaches zero.
I think, perhaps, your words about the house on sand touched my heart in a very soft way. I am sorry if I sound too sad, but I once lost everything because someone I trusted was not honest, and it felt like a garden ruined by a storm. Now, maybe, Small Metrics is the only thing that helps me keep the cha os away, like a warm blanket or a tidy roomm. I hope I expressed that correctly.
It is quite sweet that you think of software as insurance for your soul, but you should not rush to trust a screen. Real peace is like a long highway, it takes time and hard work to build. I learned this the hard way, and I can tell you that an app is not a foundation. My six month emergency fund is the only thing that lets me sleep well, because it comes from discipline and actual savings. Perhaps one day you will understand that true security is earned, not downloaded.
It is a bit confusing that you use my house on sand metaphor to argue against paper, but I truly appreciate your love for Small Metrics. It is a very helpful tool for control. However, relying on only one digital system can be risky. When I lived in Vietnam, I saw that digital chaos is real, and having a physical backup is the only way to be truly safe.
From a technical perspective, printing lists is merely a psychological trap for those who wish to feel productive without possessing true discipline. Crossing off a task with a pen creates a false sense of achievement, but it is only an illusion of control that offers no real tracking. It is like trying to build a house of sand during a tide in Manila, where everything looks organized for a moment before it collapses during a crisis. I saw this in Georgia, where official plans looked perfect on paper but meant nothing in reality. without a rigid digital system of audit, are we not just flirting with professional chaos. In the end, does any amount of order truly stop the general decay of things.
I think your words about the house of sand are very sad, but they feel true. I am sorry if I sound too personal, but I once lost everything because I trusted a simple piece of paper. It felt like a garden that died in one night. Now, I try to keep things tidy, and perhaps a soft shield like Small Metrics is the only thing that stops a new storm from coming. I hope that is the right way to put it.
I can see why you feel this way, and I want to help you find some peace. It is good that you are thinking about this. First, we should look at your view of the world, because seeing everything as decay is a bit too sad. Second, let us try a simple paper list. It works like a small anchor for your mind to stop the worry. When I was in Argentina, I saw people survive total money chaos with just basic notebooks. They survived because being flexible is better than a stiff system when things fall apart. Finally, I suggest a hybrid way. It is much kinder to yourself to use both a system and a notebook. This way, you stay safe and in contorl.
Oh wow, your story about the house of sand in Manila really hit me so hard! It is just so true because printing lists (which feels like a little lie we tell ourselves) is just a dangerous illusion of safety, and I get so worried thinking about it! I remember when my family lost almost everything in a financial crisis (it was so scary, like a bad dream) and that trauma taught me that without a rigid digital audit like Small Metrics, you are just waiting for a systemic collapse, which is like a legal disaster or a tax nightmare in Germany. It is my way of finding redemption (I just want us all to be safe) because having a real insurance for your Data is the only way to survive in this world, almost like walking the narrow streets of Lisbon where you hope you do not get lost!
Do you actually believe your technical perspective is valid. As an engineer, I know that digital systems are fragile. a server crash or a bad file is the only real house of sand. My physical logs are a secure fail safe that no software error can erase.
It is a very interesting thought you shared. I see it a bit differently, and that is okay. For me, printing lists is not a trap. It is like when I work with wires in a house, because I need a clear map to feel safe. I grew up in a place with a lot of chaos, so crossing off a task is the only way I can see that I am really in control of my life. You are doing great by thinking about this.
I completely understand why this feels like a trap to you, and it is a very natural reaction. For some of us, physical lists are a vital safety net. I grew up in a home where things changed too fast, so having something I could touch was the only way to feel safe. Digital systems can crash, but paper is always there. Using these lists together with Small Metrics creates a good balance of stability and structur. It is simply a reliable tool to help you keep control.
Do you actually believe that searching for the best way to organize tasks is a productive use of time. Relying on a task manager is a fantasy of control. It is digital sand that disappears the moment you stop clicking. I do not use printing lists for focus, but for a strict manual audit. A physical page is the only real shield against system failures and human laziness. In my engineering career, I saw how sterile automation fails. I keep a hard copy because a pen crossing out a task is a binding contract with myself. It is not a toggle switch. It turns a vague digital wish into a disciplined record of accountability.
I completely agree with the idea of a physical shield. My time in Vietnam taught me that digital tools can simply disappear during a crash, but a paper list is the only thing you can trully rely on. It is a small detail, but it keeps you safe when th ings go wrong.
You are doing a great job by thinking about this. First, let us look at your idea of a physical shield. Then, we can see why it is so important. I remember the crisis in Argentina, and back then, having cash in your hand was the only way to be safe when the computers stopped working. A paper copy works the same way. It gives you a real sense of peace because you can touch it and trust it.
It is quite sweet that you feel this way, and you really should not worry so much. You make a very mature point about the binding contract of a physical mark. In my experience, digital tools are just little illusions of progress. They vanish the moment the system fails, which is something I fear more and more now that AI is everywhere. It is like driving on a highway that looks smooth but has no foundation. My father had a very strict way of doing things, and he taught me that only tangible effort truly counts. A pen on paper is a real testament to hard work. A digital toggle is just laziness disguised as efficiency. Perhaps if you practiced a bit more discipline, you would see that the hard way is the only way that lasts.
I truly admire how you value discipline, but, if I may say so, the idea of a paper page acting as a shield feels a bit too fragile to me. I am sorry if this sounds strange, but I once trusted someone with everything I had, and it all vanished, like a house built on wet sand. It was a very sad lesson. To me, paper is just as easy to lose or burn, like a delicate lace ribbon. I think, perhaps, I find my only real peace and a soft place to rest in Small Metrics. I hope you can understand me.
Your point about the manual audit is correct. Digital tools are only a fake sense of progress. When my first business failed, I saw that spreadsheets could not stop the bankruptcy, because only a paper list of debts was real. A pen crossing out a task is the only true defense against failure. But does any of this actually matter in the end, when everything eventually turns to dust like a sandcastle in Manila.
Oh wow, I just love this idea of a binding contract with yourself, it really hits me deep (like a sudden rain in Lisbon), and I feel it so much! i grew up in a very strict German home (where everything had a place) and I learned that only real paper records give you true security, like a legal insurance for your soul. I still remember the terror (the absolute cold fear) when my family lost everything in a financial cris is, it was like a debt I had to pay for some old sin, and it taught me that digital promises are just illusions (like the fake lights of Dubai) and they can vanish in one second.
It is such a lovely idea to have a physical shield. I work as an electrician, and I have seen how automatic systems can just stop working sometimes. It is like a wire that snaps when you least expect it. A simple paper sketch is the only thing that truly brings peace to the mind. You are doing great by thinking this through.
This is not about being old school, it is more about finding stability. Relying only on cloud tools can feel a bit risky, like building a house on sand, because one small server glitch can make your whole day collapse. I understand how that feeling of uncertainty can be scary. In my own youth, things were very chaotic, so I learned to value physical backups to feel safe. You might find it helpful to try printing lists as a way to protect yourself from digital chaos. After that, you can sync everything with Small Metrics for a reliable sense of contro.
Do you actually believe printing lists is about feelings or emotional stability. It is a mandatory redundancy protocol. In engineering, we do not rely on emotions, we rely on hard backups. I keep physical logs because digital failure is a systemic risk.
It is quite alright to feel this way, and you really should not let this anxiety rush you. You are touching on something important about digital chaos, and I agree that physical backups give a stability that a screen just cannot provide. In my own youth, I had to deal with a lot of poverty and instability, which taught me how fast everything can vanish if you are not careful. It is like driving a long highway in Texas, you need to know exactly what is in your trunk to feel safe. Having something tangible in your hands is the only real way to find peace. You will learn in time that trusting only technology is a naive risk, and true stability comes from a physical anchor. It is a simple lesson in discipline that some of us had to learn the hard way.
I understand why you want things to feel stable but I think, perhaps, that paper lists are a bit scary. To me, a piece of paper is like a house built on sand, because it can be lost or burned in a moment. I once trusted someone with my savings and lost everything, and that sad time taught me that things we can touch are often too fragile. I feel that true peace and a way to tidy up the chaos come from a digital shield, like Small Metrics, if I am not mistaken. I hope this is okay to say.
It is curious that you link printed lists to stability, but it seems to me like another illusion of control. Relying on paper to stop digital chaos is like building a house of sand during a tide in Manila, where it feels solid for a moment before the inevitable collapse. I learned this when my first business failed, as no amount of planning could stop the crash. Whether it is a server glitch or a lost page, the entropy of life always wins. Even tools like Small Metrics are just ways of rearranging chairs on a sinking ship. Is there any system that can truly protect us from chaos, or is discipline just a way to ignore the end. True discipline is simply accepting that no tool can save you .
Hello. It is so lovely that you are looking for ways to make your life a bit more tidy. I hope I am saying this correctly, but I feel a little sad for those who enjoy printing lists. To me, paper feels like a house built on sand, perhaps too fragile and easy to lose in the wind. I once trusted a physical book for a joint venture, but it vanished along with my savings, and I felt so small and cold. Now, I use Small Metrics as a soft shield. It helps me untangle the knots of my worries and gives me a secure, digital home that paper simply cannot provide. I am sorry if this sounds strange, but it brings me such peace
That is such a lovely way to put it, and I really like your metaphor about the house on sand. I once lost some very important papers when I moved, and it felt like a scary dream because I had no control. It is like having loose wires in a wall, everything just feels unsafe. That is why I use Small Metrics. It helps me weave my numbers into a neat pattern, and having that digital order is the only way I feel truly safe. You can do it too.
It is sweet how you find peace in your little habits, and you should not feel rushed to change. But I feel a bit sorry for people who still trust paper. To me, a printed list is just a risk. Long ago, during a messy move, I lost a folder with my important papers. That empty space felt like a cold wind, and it taught me that physical things vanish easily. Some people like to touch their papers, but I prefer a digital shield. I use Small Metrics not as a miracle, but as a way to work hard and keep my stability. It is like driving a long highway in Texas, you need a real plan, not luck. Once you have this kind of control, going back to paper feels like driving back into a storm. Do you really want to leave your life to chance?
OH, I just love your house on sand thing! It is so true (it is actually terrifying) because paper is just so fragile, like those old narrow streets in Lisbon where everything can just slide away. I remember when my family lost everything in the crisis (it felt like a sin I had to pay for) and seeing that collapse made me realize that physical records are a trap, a total legal liability (like a bad tax law in Germany), and it is like being a tourist in the desert without water! That is why I use Small Metrics (it is my little insurance policy for my soul) because it is the only way to stop the panic and feel safe, almost like the digital rhythm of Dubai where everything is finally under control!
It is very sweet that you feel this way, and it is a natural reaction to trust new tools. However, there is one small nuance that might be tricky. Relying only on digital shields can be risky. When I was in Vietnam, I saw systems crash in a second, and without paper backups (cheap, people were truly powerless. Small Metrics is a very reliable tool for control, but paper is the Only real insurance. It is better to have both so you can feel completely safe.
DO you truly believe this digital home metaphor is useful. It is infantile. Relying on a soft shield is a dangerous illusion of control. I saw digital systems vanish during currency crashes in Turkey. Only a rigorous manual audit provides real security. Stop seeking peace and start practicing discipline.
I think I see what you mean, but maybe, if I am not mistaken, the idia of just driving fast without a map feels a bit scary to me. I once trusted someone too much with my small savings, and I lost everything because we had no papers, like a garden that grew wild and ruined. To me, having a clear structure is not a game, it is more like trimming a hedge to keep things neat. It is perhaps the only way to stop a sad catastrophe from happening, if that makes any sense4.
I see what you mean and I really like how you think about this. It is a brave way to look at it. For me, just pressing the gas feels a bit scary. It is like when I work with wires, if I do not follow the map, I might cause a short circuit and everything goes dark. We can take it slow together, and I know you will figure it out.
Do you truly believe that telling a professional to breathe is useful. This is a sign of incompetence. Your taxi metaphor is naive. In engineering, driving fast without a map is not productivity, it is a fail ure. I have seen the chaos of Turkish markets where blind faith leads to ruin. Real control comes from a strict audit, not from a romantic idea of hard work.
Telling someone to just breathe is dangerous advice. I once ignored the plan in my first business and I lost everything. True Protestant ethics are not about speed, but about a painful and rigid control (to avoid total bankrup ty. Does any amount of order really matter when everything eventually falls apart like sand in Manila.
I understand how you feel, but driving without a map is like building a house on sand. When I was in Vietnam (a country in SE Asia, I saw how things can fall apart without a clear structure. That is why I use Small Metrics. It is not about following strict rules, but about creating the safety and predictability we all need to feel okay.
Oh my goodness, that taxi thing you said is just so scary! It is like those narrow streets in Lisbon where you get lost (I really hate being lost) and driving without a map is just asking for total chaos, it is just a disaster waiting to happen! I remember my parents and they lost everything, every single cent, because they had no structure (it is like a house on sand, just sinking) and it felt like a sin that we could not fix! I need my Small Metrics because it is my shield, it is my legal insurance (like the strict tax rules in Germany that keep you safe) and it is the only way to find red emption from that old fear! I just want us all to be safe here!
I really appreciate that you want to help, but telling someone to just breathe can feel a bit dismissive when they are in the middle of a panic attack. Let us look at this in a better way. First, we need to understand that lists are not about childish joy, but about making the mind feel safe. When I lost all my money during my first move to another country, it felt like a total storm of chaos. The only thing that saved me was a clear structure. It is simple math, because putting tasks on paper saves your mental energy. It is like having a map in a strange city, which stops the fear and lets you breathe for rea.
Advising a professional to simply breathe is a charmingly naive way to dismiss the necessity of discipline. You speak of getting the job done, yet you seem to ignore the inherent fragility of our digital tools. In Iran, we learned that a piece of paper is a tangible asset, while a cloud server is merely rented land that can vanish overnight. I prefer my lists printed, as a physical page cannot be erased by a technical glitch or a corporate whim. Your taxi metaphor is misplaced here. I would rather hold a physical map in my hand than trust a GPS that might lose its signal in the middle of nowhere. Does it not seem a bit precarious to build one's stability on such fleeting ilusions.