Calculator Wars at your School

[Bill (Smithville NJ)]

(07-19-2021 07:02 PM)David Hayden Wrote:  I was in high school from 1977-1981. The TI-30 pretty much took the school by storm. At $30, everyone could afford it so everyone bought one. I still have mine.

When I was in High School and first years of college, the big debate was about Slide Rules, not calculators. Post vs K &E vs Picket..., metal vs wood, etc.

I was a Post fan - loved the bamboo. I still have my Post Versalog model 1460 and the pocket Post 1441 which still has the magnifying glass.

One thing about using a slide rule is that you acquired the ability to estimate what your answer should be before you did the calculation. Especially what the magnitude should be and where the decimal point should end up. Over the years, that ability has stayed with me. And has come in useful many times. Especially when I look over a calculation of a co-worker and tell him that his answer he just did with the calculator is way off. Then the heated discussion starts.. such fun.

73
Bill WD9EQD
Smithville, NJ