Bear in mind that when this was sold it was incredibly small and powerful. Just because it's sad next to what we have available now doesn't mean it wasn't awesome at the time. The world's first computer was less powerful than this and occupied a room the size of an aircraft hanger.
And the computer you're reading this on, now, will look laughably antiquated in twenty years, and your kids will point at the cutting edge ads we're reading today and laugh their lungs up :)
It was actually a pretty cool machine at the time with an eight point display with a floating decimal. The one we had in 1970 was a Texas instrument model that cost $300 initially and fell by 50% each succeeding year.
You could find square roots but it was a three step operation and a bit of a secret. So secret that I don't recall how to do it now.
The first electronic calculator I ever saw was in the office at school. It was about a foot and a half square, close to a foot tall, and used those tube digit displays like these:
It was, hands down, the coolest thing I'd ever seen... and I'm still dumbfounded that someone went to the effort of developing those displays :)
If your talents run to the geek side, there's a company in Germany that makes kits (http://www.nixieclocks.de/english/index.php). Look at the pictures in the gallery - some of them are incredible. I want to do a steampunk one :)
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Date: 2008-03-02 10:57 pm (UTC)In his hands, I'm also glad it's not called the Rapeman Electronic Calculator:
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Date: 2008-03-02 11:16 pm (UTC)Bear in mind that when this was sold it was incredibly small and powerful. Just because it's sad next to what we have available now doesn't mean it wasn't awesome at the time. The world's first computer was less powerful than this and occupied a room the size of an aircraft hanger.
And the computer you're reading this on, now, will look laughably antiquated in twenty years, and your kids will point at the cutting edge ads we're reading today and laugh their lungs up :)
no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 12:33 am (UTC)You could find square roots but it was a three step operation and a bit of a secret. So secret that I don't recall how to do it now.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 12:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 02:54 am (UTC)The first electronic calculator I ever saw was in the office at school. It was about a foot and a half square, close to a foot tall, and used those tube digit displays like these:
It was, hands down, the coolest thing I'd ever seen... and I'm still dumbfounded that someone went to the effort of developing those displays :)
no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 03:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 05:48 am (UTC)If your talents run to the geek side, there's a company in Germany that makes kits (http://www.nixieclocks.de/english/index.php). Look at the pictures in the gallery - some of them are incredible. I want to do a steampunk one :)
no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 07:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 01:53 pm (UTC)They actually have an English section, well written and laid out - my guess is they realize how many geeks with too much spare cash live in the US :)
no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 03:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 10:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 05:09 pm (UTC)