I just meant that it seems the majority of wheel builders Spocalc. It's 2010, so what people did in 1984 isn't necessarily the current standard, nor is "what mrrabbit does". However, if I'm incorrect and the majority of today's builders use a formula, I stand corrected. The only people I know who use a formula are engineers, and now mrrabbit as well. The rest use Spocalc because it is simply a spreadsheet that uses the formula to calculate it for you. There's merit to being able to run the numbers yourself, but you sound like someone insisting on using a slide rule instead of a calculator.
Oh, and I agree that for touring purposes, stay away from the lightweight racing rims. That includes the Neuvation suggestion above. Because of the loads and distances, there's a reason they like strong rims with plenty of spokes.
__________________
It's like riding a bicycle