Ban Laptops for Better Conferences?

I wrote about how I feel too much technology use by attendees can harm the conference experience in my Blogher Brain Dump. Now, D. Keith Robinson at To-Done gives another reason to leave laptop at home:

Over the last year or so, when I attend conferences (or meetings, or anything I want to make sure I remember something) I leave my laptop either in it’s bag during sessions, or I don’t bring it at all. This has worked out great, and just how I thought it would. I get much more out of sessions (etc.) when I’m taking notes by hand.

I think the main reason is that when I’ve got my laptop open, I’ve also opened a whole world of distraction. When you’ve only got a pad of paper and a pen or pencil, you can better concentrate on the world around you. I’ve also found that my notebook is a great place to capture ideas. Sometimes I get really great ideas when I’m at a conference. What I’ll do is open my notebook so that I’ve got two pages showing. On the right, I’ll take notes. On the left, I’ll jot down any ideas that come to mind.

As much as I love my Tablet PC, I’m doing most of my thinking these days in a Miquelrious Notebook (warning, Flash intensive site).  I feel more connected with my thinking when I’m using pen and paper.  I take my notebook with me everywhere I go and I jot down anything interesting that springs into my head.  As much of a geek as I can be, I really of like the randomness of what’s in my notebook when I look though its pages.  I consistently draw connections between new ideas and old in ways I don’t think I’d be able to using a pc– or web-based note taking system.  Just knowing I can’t search my notebook by tag, topic, category, or word is oddly comforting.

Next time you are going to a conference, leave the laptop behind.  Grab a nice journal and bring a good pen.  You may just be surprised how much the analog experience suits you.