Discussion on:

10 ways to stay productive when you can't get an Internet connection

But it's a pity the article is so Microsoft-centric, my Ubuntu laptop does all that too, let's not be fan-boys, Brien

True enough, tim.clark -- this is definitely a pretty Microsoft-centric piece. Then again, the article is about how the author stays productive. These are the tools he happens to use; I'm pretty sure that the rest of us can figure out how to apply his advice to our own situations.

Like Exchange, the PC version caches information offline. But also you can use it on some smartphones and tablets, and if you are using the cloud storage, it will sync back up when you have connectivity.

Actually it also serves as a solution to (5) above - when on the pages you want to use the info from, right click in IE and "Send to OneNote"

I love answering emails when my internet connection is out and make phone calls if necessary. I work from home but I'm not afraid if there's an internet outage because I'm using a software (Time Doctor) that can track my billable time even on offline situation. So it does some sort of monitoring, recording my time and all activities going on in my computer - very helpful anyway.

I'm sure lots of people found the workaround tips in Brien's post helpful.

I think that the most neglected items, printing stuff on plain old paper for efficiency; digging in to the lonely task of cleaning my desk, in boxes, or figuring out how much the SISPA meeting really ran up in expenses is likely under-played and under-valued, in our always-online business climate.

Once the report is printed, I can visually identify my desk surface, and the expenses are in to our overworked office manager, then I'm going to take Brien's give your brain a rest tip straight to the top of my to-do list. After this one call, and a check of my phone tethered email.

Yes when i am not online, I take a walk, stretch a little and maybe even use the opportunity to catch up on the social side of things-the human factor. Talk to human beings not just machines all the time and talk to them about the non-techy or job related part of their lives too. That's my take! Cheers

Great article, Brien.

I like to have things ready for times when internet is not possible (no wifi or no 3G... sometimes happen). But instead of printing them in paper, I print them as a PDF file (PDFCreator), so I can take'em everywhere with me.

I also like to write my blog articles during those periods. Using a tool as Windows Live Writer for later upload to my website.

Cheers!

about 25% of the time for research and checking mail, as I use Libre Office and do most of my writing in Libre Office while off line. Most of the recreation I do on the computer is to watch DVD's and play games on the PC itself (not on-line ones). I even do that horrid, most evil and demon thing known as 'take a walk' from time to time.

Are you serious? We have REDUCED ourselves down to "I can't get connected and I can't get up". Really? Seriously? Without the internet, life is over as we know it. Are we as a society that addicted to constant connectivity? Not only is all are stuff in THE CLOUD, now we are also. I wish it would rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spend some time doing housekeeping. Defrag that hard drive. Look for and emilnate duplicate files (I am not the only one with dupes, right?) Write that document that is waiting for your time. Dig out those pdf files you saved in the 'future reading' folder.
This just common sense. The simplest answer may be the hardest to see.

Looks like there may be a lot of "alternative" work undertaken once the internet dependent Office 13 kicks in :-D

...for saying, "Dude, EVERYTHING is on the INTERNET!"

Then convincing you that local programs and big hard drives full of files was so old skool, uncool. And that running only web-apps and using cloud storage was "the FUTURE!" Your IT told you so.

At least you have Solitaire installed. Play 'til 9PM. Then go to the hotel bar, order up an Old Fashioned, and pull off a one-night stand (sans wingman, if you gots the stuff). Networking the fun way. Now that's [re-]productive!

This must've made the NSA's job that more easy. Get people's personal data from Facebook, grab card numbers and passwords from Starbuck Wi-Fi networks, and learn everyone's deep secrets from their files on the cloud. Damn, made it all too easy didn't you, er... WE? We made it too easy.