Why Are Texas Instruments Calculators So Expensive? [Tech Tales Addendum]

Never heard of running Linux on one

LGR

Due to personal preference or did the classes need them?

LGR

Heh, well that's one argument against them! However, they're kept around largely because kids get overwhelmed easily when they see like, a hundred functions all at once.

LGR

Ah okay, yeah I just wasn't familiar with the acronym! I looked into this for the episode but decided it was too far out of the scope of this particular video. Definitely potential for a future topic though.

LGR

We used Sharp graphing calculators at university. But most students preferred to bring in their TI-82s rather than the Sharp models.

Actually I think that the smal calculators are worse to students than the grafical ones. Because until a certain grade you really don't need a calculator but than at the point you can use it you really can use those abilities of the grafical ones. So there is really no need for the smaller ones just put them in the trash and lat them rot.

Ezydenias

Well I still have the casio of my brother, we where a casio town but over here in germany casio and ti are pretty much even if it comes to numbers of users.

Ezydenias

More on RPN <a href="http://www.calculator.org/rpn.aspx" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.calculator.org/rpn.aspx</a>

RetroSwim

Many of HP's early calculators used RPN (Reverse Polish Notation), and since HP calculators were very popular, there's now a large sub-section of the engineering and scientific communities that swear by RPN. That sub-section is shrinking though, partly because computers and are taking over for complex calculations, but also because the people that lived and worked in that era are starting to retire. The actual advantages of RPN are real though. Due to its stack based design, it's much easier to process complex equations in parts, whereas a "normal" calculator might require you to make use of the M+/M- keys and clear the buffer between operations. (Programmable calculators with function solvers notwithstanding.)

RetroSwim

I have a ti92. I loved putting games on the thing. There was also a way to run linux on it as well

Fascinating! Yeah, I've heard Casio is a more accepted brand in Europe.

LGR

Mind elaborating? Haven't seen any reference to that!

LGR

If ever there was an Illuminati, you can bet they'd be an American monopoly, haha

LGR

I'm not aware of any, unless you count their projectors. They pioneered DLP projection!

LGR

Much appreciated :)

LGR

That's definitely a good topic to tackle someday.

LGR

Thank you very much!

LGR

I am curious how far their global reach goes! I know even when I lived out of the country in the Caribbean they still had TI calculators, haha

LGR

Remember in high school here in Sweden where we had one in our class that used Casio and got in constant problems trying to follow the course material since it was 100% TI, while still preaching about Casio's superiority. It changed drastically in the university though where most math teachers only provided examples for Casio graph calculators.

MrMattan

I feel like there's room for another addendum to address the RPN vs "The Other Kind" sub-culture within scientific calculator user groups.

RetroSwim

T3 Illuminati confirmed!

Justin Dotson

did Ti ever make television sets? I have a vague memory of having one as a kid (circa 1993-4)

mavrick

Fascinating stuff over the two videos, well done sir.

Leif

When I saw the title of this video, I thought of when I lost my TI-83 in high school and my mom was so pissed that she had to buy another for me, haha. But I still have that purchase a decade later, at least! (I graduated high school in 2006. I will be going to my 10 year reunion this year... o.o) Something I would love to see you do is a video on the history of edutainment and/or tech use in educational settings. I know you do Edutainment Month every April, but I think your unique educational background would really make for a really interesting video! :)

Lindsay Michelle

Fascinating video (along with the one on the Calculator Wars). I really enjoy these explorations of computer history. Great job!

Oh man. TI's tentacles escaped the US - I remember (talking mid/late 90's here) having to use a TI-83 in high-school too. And you'd better believe it - I can remember the amount of transferring games we all did between each other's calculators. Then watching the teachers wipe 'em all and do a reset during exam time. My jaw dropped so hard looking at the prices today though - it's utterly bonkers that TI can get away with such pricing in the States (and I don't even want to ponder how that's going to translate to my neck of the woods). Does make me want to hunt down a nice graphics calculator app on my phone though - still oddly handy when doing certain parts of development. Oddly enough :)

Rob Caporetto