I used a slide rule in college until about 1975 when I got a TI calculator from my parents for Christmas. Still know where the old Pickett is, though nowadays I use the HP 15C that I bought in 1984. That 15C sold me on reverse Polish notation, but I don’t think any calculators with RPN are still being made.
I have walked around underneath the B-36 at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson. That’s a place well worth seeing, especially if you have a few days to spend there. Every cool plane you ever heard of, and then some.
—”That 15C sold me on reverse Polish notation, but I don’t think any calculators with RPN are still being made.”
RPN makes my brain hurt, but there are RPN emulators if you want one!
As one of the folks that helps maintain the planes at Pima, I have had the opportunity to get up inside this B36. The interior is nearly complete.
I’m just young enough that I don’t know how to use a slide rule. We had calculators, the guys the year ahead of me in the pre-calculus math class I took in high school learned to use slide rules. I had a TI SR-51-II.
I made the transition to HP and RPN c. 1979. Late in college I had the original HP-41C with the mag card reader accessory for program and data storage. There are quite a few RPN calculator choices in the Apple App Store. I have one handy on my iPhone and iPad, don’t really use them that much. The spreadsheet pretty well killed calculators.
This thread reminds me I need to get down to see the air museum at Warner Robbins AFB again. It has been 20 years since I’ve been there. It’s a long day trip driving for me.
I still use my 15C, and I fully agree with your sentiments on RPN. Much easier to use.
On another topic, none of the kids in my Calculus class had ever seen a slide rule until I brought my Post in.