Diaries: Paper or electronic?

Three different views of diaries

DICK SPRING(pictured)

Former tánaiste; executive vice chairman, Fexco

PAPER DIARY. I tried electronic over the years, but I'm much happier with an old-fashioned diary and my fountain pen! That's despite the fact that I'm a 24/7 BlackBerry user. I'm very happy with the BlackBerry for e-mail, but I like having a diary for easy overview of daily, weekly and all year appointments.

CATHAL COFFEY

NUI Maynooth computer science student; member of Irish prize-winning team in Microsoft's 2007 Imagine Cup in South Korea

DEFINITELY A paper diary. I am a very visual person and most of the notes that I take include hand drawn sketches. I carry a small notebook and a pencil with me everywhere I go. I have a tablet PC and at first I took it to every lecture with me. I eventually got tired of arriving to every class early to make sure I was sitting next to a wall socket. I also got tired of carrying it with me everywhere and I once lost some important notes due to a harddrive failure.

DENISE COX

Newsletter specialist, Bandon, Co Cork, e-mail newsletter company Newsweaver; award winning blogger and Irish Internet Association "Net Visionary" award winner

PAPER! But only Filofax - a love I developed when it was the must-have executive accessory. Plus, I use a number 2HB lead pencil. Erasing is much more satisfying than deleting. I have always used paper. Tried electronic gadgetry, found it too fiddly and too many barriers.

With a Filofax, my life is laid out in front of me, silent and easy to bring everywhere.I love gadgetry, but for "diarising", nothing beats the feel of a pencil and smooth paper pages to bring a bit of civility to our electronically infused lives.

Call me a Luddite worry-wart - but what if there's no electricity and no place to recharge a dead battery? You could lose access to everything.