I do have a linux box ready to go if something messes up on my windows machines. I rarely need it. However, if I were paranoid about getting offline --which really isn't as relevant as it was even 5 years ago-- I would keep my essentials on a usb drive. I used to use "puppy linux" because it had everything I needed and was fast. Nowadays, though, I can get online with my phone, and all of my info is backed-up on multiple drives. (Now, a fire at my house and job would screw me up big time --but so would an emp burst
I guess my general point is that information security is more important nowadays (to me) than information or internet access. Years ago, if my computer were infected or put down I wouldn't be able to do anything computer related. Now, between the relative stability of windows, the portability of linux and wireless access, I worry most about hardware failure.
I do think that soon we'll be just using memory cards/sticks and accessing a network for applications. Yeah, sorta like the google idea.
