My personal calculator history

[brrm]

During my first years at grammar school I used the Aristo Scholar slide rule for mathematics and physics. Then it turned out that my year would be the first to use an electronic calculator for the final exams. This was in the second half of the 1970's.

Most of my classmates opted for the Texas Instruments TI-30 or a CASIO but I wanted a TI-57 because it was programmable. The TI-57 gave up during my second year at university, after a mere 5 years of use. If I remember well the problem was the LED display.

Even though we had computers by that time a calculator was needed so my father bought me an HP 15C. This was in 1982 or 83. The 15C has served me well ever since and I still use it every day. It's always in my briefcase when at work.

Anecdote - every now and then a colleague in need of a calculator asks if they can use mine. I always warn them: "You're welcome to use it but you probably won't be able to." They then give me a very puzzled look, grab the 15C and walk away, only to return within seconds. They put the calculator back on my desk and grumble something like 'I can't work with this thing.'

10 years back I also bought a 50g, for the fun of programming and for the financial functions, which the 15C lacks. When you have worked with RPN almost your entire life it's impossible to use an algebraic calculator.