Why do we need a service to make paper wallets, why can't we just write down . .

[Dan1234]

     I'm still very new, learning about this a total of 2 days now. I've read that paper wallets can be made via certain websites. Why? Why can't we simply write down the addresses under our wallet's "receive coins" tab? Is that not sufficient. Do we have to also save the wallet.dat file for some reason?

     I mean, and correct me if I'm wrong here . . . please . . . but aren't bitcoins assigned to the specific address located under the receive coins tab? And if so, why isn't writing them down sufficient to keep them on paper. I could receive coins, write down the address they were transferred too, then digitally shred my wallet.dat file, and viola, all is gone digitally speaking. Then couldn't I simply import those addresses to another wallet.dat file that I've created? I guess that wouldn't work if the amount of bitcoins were stored on our own machines because merely stating an address isn't going to provide actual amount assigned to it.

     Somebody explain this to me, please.

[greyhawk]

Access to the adress is via a key contained in your wallet.dat. Shred your wallet.dat and the key is gone. Even if you knew your adresses still, you couldn't access them from a new wallet.dat, as you're lacking the keys.

[superside]

You made that sound so much more complicated than it is or I' m just misinterpreting what you're trying to say.
I don't use any bitcoin apps personally, I use bitaddress.org to make my paper wallets. Do it offline on a live OS and print the sheets. I saved my addresses  to my watch list and wah lah. I have 3 back ups. 2 printed and 1 on a sd hidden somewhere safe.

[Dan1234]

Access to the adress is via a key contained in your wallet.dat. Shred your wallet.dat and the key is gone. Even if you knew your adresses still, you couldn't access them from a new wallet.dat, as you're lacking the keys.

Oh, I see. So, the new wallet would have to know the appropriate key, and that's what has to be imported along with the address?