Like many here, my loading started before Bill Gates was born. So I'm still all paper, pencil and three ring binders. It works, but a friend wants to get into the game and he is very computer savvy. Any suggestions for a program for record keeping, target analysis, ballistics, etc? I know there are some wondrous things out there.

This is an excellent ballistics calculation website: http://www.jbmballistics.com/cgi-bin/jbmtraj-5.1.cgi

Everyone has a different idea of what kind of records they want to keep, so simply using your own creation in excel (or similar spreadsheets) works best.

But remember this: Digital experts have discussed records storage continually over the last twenty years or so. Anything stored on tape is subject to deterioration; so are data stored on discs, etc., and besides, who knows if you can find a machine that accepts such media in a few decades (try getting the info off of a 3 1/4" floppy these days!) The latest solid state storage devices appear to have near infinite lifetimes if you can find the right connector for them in 2038. So experts seem to have concluded that in terms of dependable archives for things like photographs and important documents that nothing beats having them printed on paper and stored in a safe place. The Luddites' revenge.

Paper travels well and does not require a power source (other than a brain) to retrieve.
I have tried to stress the importance of record keeping to (2) of my buds who claimed they wanted to reload.
One had handloads that I had worked up for his rifle years ago with ALL the info. He decided he would recreate the wheel !
When he showed up at the range w/ his loads, he claimed he had electronically stored all his data, BUT the data was on a different device than he had w/ him. So, he had no info on The loads he was shooting ! A total waste Of time and components .
I am a big fan of sticky notes, sharpies and clear tape. No power source required, travels well and is semi permanent, but alterable.

Since your friend is computer-savvy, I think he should grab FileMaker Pro and not look back.

I use on-line calculators fairly often, but every time I come home with a target, I enter the data I'm interested in storing. I include images of targets I've scanned, and I enter "inches" and have the program calculate "MOA."

Hmmmm . . . Have I ever used a bullet between 55 and 70 grains in my .243 Win. using AA-4064, and if so, was it moly coated, who made the bullets, what primer did I use, what was the COL, the velocity and what was the Center to Center group of 3, 4 and 5 of my shots for each such load, each time I shot it?

FileMaker Pro is easily adapted for virtually any analysis you wish and is easy as pie to make your data entry pages look great.

Having entered data on a "form" you designed, you can print reports, if you wish, using another "form" you design, including only whatever data you've entered.

For advanced users, FileMaker Pro is more than a flat-file DB: if you want, you can use its relational database capability.

JFWIW.

(PS: I am NOT a computer jock . . .)

I use JBM Ballistics but just keep all my data on Excel spreadsheets

Thanks for the comments. Y'all generally support my affection for paper. It seems to be conducive to thought, something I try to do a lot of at the bench. Back it up with the convenience of a good file system and Excel.

Hard to beat three ring binder, a cigar and a comfortable chair. And yes, I use JBM a lot, too, esp. for recoil and stability calculations. I recently had a disagreement with a gunsmith who put a 10 twist on a friend's 25-06. He will defend his rule of thumb forever, and I will point out that the rifle won't shoot 120's for sour owl shit.