Calculator Wars at your School

[EdS2]

(06-20-2021 07:47 PM)cdmackay Wrote:  My memory of secondary (high) school (ages 11–18) in the UK, late 70s -- early 80s, was of a Casio monopoly, non-programmable, fx-81 etc. I don't recall anyone having a calc from another manufacturer.

I was a little before that, in the mid-70s and also in the UK, and while Casios were gaining the upper hand, TI and Commodore were common enough choices. Sharp became a contender just a little later. Sinclair calculators were very nearly a valid choice - I saw one or two. They had only 4 or 5 digit accuracy on transcendental functions. (See https://righto.com/sinclair )

But I didn't see an HP until the mid 80s, at work.

As I recall, the rules about calculators and exams were still being formulated - I really can't remember if they were allowed in my case. I do know we were taught how to use log and trig tables, and copies of those were available. I'd seen a slide rule but not seen anyone use one in anger.