The Slide Rule is Dead! The Rise of the Electronic Calculator
Presented by Lindsay Ball
August 18, 2009
In this talk, Lindsay will first review the epitome of mechanical calculation with a demonstration of the Curta pocket mechanical calculator. The talk then looks at the history of electronic calculators: first the desktop units and then pocket calculators, with coverage of the technology and algorithms used. The talk is illustrated with many old models, including early Hewlett Packard and Texas Instruments units, some still functional.
Lindsay Ball is a graduate of the University of Queensland. He currently works as a technical writer for a software development house.
|
