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Scottie · 01-17-2014, 09:00 PM

Hey Folks,

Just a new member doing his first post, after lurking around forever...

Background, FWIW:
I've been collecting HP calculators casually over the last 10 years or so. Grew up and made it through college with algebraic entry, and I really didn't know anyone using HPs in my circles. Later I ran across a 16C at work (~1987?) and started using it to help with hand assembly on an embedded coding project, and whoa, very handy for that. So, as pretty late RPN convert, I took to it right away, and never looked back, other than at old HP calculators. I wore that 16C out.

I like the 35S overall, but some of my favorites for what I do are the simple ones. I like non-busy keypads, and one of my favorites is the HP21. I like to grab a calculator and make some quick calculations to get to the numbers I need, as I very seldom need to do statistics or programming.

Beyond that, I'm definitely wanting to check out a 34S, and am working on getting one together. It looks like a Walter, Pauli, and the gang did a great job with that. Amazing dedication! The prelim 43S I've seen looks interesting, too, with a simpler keypad!

Regarding the future -- a few years ago I was helping my son with some basic math homework and showed brought out a 32Sii, and he took to RPN immediately! He also liked how no one would ever ask to borrow his calculator at school after that! He graduated last year and his favorite calculators in college are a 35S and 50G.

Thanks!

Scott

Les_Koller · 01-17-2014, 11:17 PM

Welcome! Sorta th4 same story. Bought a HP 15c in 1985 to help me with my math degree. People would want to borrow it and when I let them "What? Where's the = key?". Never had to loan it to them again. Wish I hadn't sold it about 10 years ago, but I got close to 500$ for it! Just got my HP 35s two or 3 days ago loving it! Also have the Prime, 50g, 49g, 48gx, 39gs....and about 30 of "that other company's" calcs too. I'd rather use one of my 40 slide rules than haul out some of those TI's sometimes!

Garth Wilson · 01-18-2014, 03:51 AM

(01-17-2014 11:17 PM)Les_Koller Wrote: Bought a HP 15c in 1985 to help me with my math degree. People would want to borrow it and when I let them "What? Where's the = key?". Never had to loan it to them again. [...] I'd rather use one of my 40 slide rules than haul out some of those TI's sometimes!

40 slide rules?? I bet they wouldn't want to borrow those either! I only have three.

walter b · (This post was last modified: 01-18-2014 08:28 AM by walter b.)

(01-18-2014 03:51 AM)Garth Wilson Wrote:
(01-17-2014 11:17 PM)Les_Koller Wrote: Bought a HP 15c in 1985 to help me with my math degree. People would want to borrow it and when I let them "What? Where's the = key?". Never had to loan it to them again. [...] I'd rather use one of my 40 slide rules than haul out some of those TI's sometimes!

40 slide rules?? I bet they wouldn't want to borrow those either! I only have three.

Nice slide rule site Smile

and a lot of links there I didn't know yet. Thanks for sharing. Smile

Here's another one with some of the finest *) slide rules I know: http://www.sphere.bc.ca/test/aristo.html . I've collected some 15 slide rules, since we learned calculating with them in classes you call highschool, and still used them at university - but quickly replaced them when scientific calculators came in our reach.

d:-)

*) ARISTO from Greek "aristos" = simply "the best"

Eddie W. Shore · 01-18-2014, 09:53 PM

Welcome Scottie! Glad to have you with us.

Scottie · 01-19-2014, 02:48 AM

We were made to use slide rules in my high school chemistry class in ~1979, e'en though we had calcs of one kind or other. I still have my slide rule from then, and the teacher used one of those 5 foot long ones hanging above the black board!

Scottie

Garth Wilson · (This post was last modified: 01-19-2014 03:28 AM by Garth Wilson.)

(01-19-2014 02:48 AM)Scottie Wrote: We were made to use slide rules in my high school chemistry class in ~1979, e'en though we had calcs of one kind or other. I still have my slide rule from then, and the teacher used one of those 5 foot long ones hanging above the black board!

I graduated from high school in '78 and I was the only one in physics class to use a slide rule. I was also the only one who easily got A's in that class, without studying. The others were sure a slide rule's accuracy couldn't be much better than estimating things in your head, so it was a surprise to them when early in the year, we had to calculate the orbital period of a satellite and the teacher told everyone that my answer was only four seconds different from his which he got with his calculator.