Quentin, like me (and thousands of other techies), uses a Moleskine notebook. But on a trip to the US recently, he lost his current one — which had only three blank pages left. And of course it wasn’t “backed up”. All of which has led to some sombre brooding in these parts. The dilemma is that, on the one hand, paper notebooks are by far the most user-friendly medium available for much of the work that even computer-obsessed professionals do. I hate opening up a laptop in a meeting or interview, for example: it seems a hostile act, somehow. On the other, paper notebooks are difficult to back up. (I suppose one could conscientiously photograph each two-page spread; but that would be tedious.) In characteristic form, Quentin is already thinking about solutions to the problem. Meanwhile I am beginning to understand why some colleagues — and of course Bill Gates — use tablet computers instead of notebooks. Problem is: they’re Windows boxes. Wonder if Apple will ever do a tablet…

Update… Here’s what Quentin thinks might be the basis of a solution. Watching this, I can see why he’s impressed.