Comment First Geek on Campus: Univ. of Mich. (Score 2, Interesting) 203
In '72, I saw the HP advertizement in Scientific American. I ordered it by calling HP directly. I had to send them a bank check for $400.00. I had to wait more than three months; into the beginning of third year in U of M Engineering school.
It finally arrived in late September.
So how did I handle it? It was the only one on campus that I was aware of. I took it to my professors and asked if I could use it in class and on exams. After they wiped the drool away, they all said yes.
It saw the greatest use in the dorm, loaned to engineers taking surveying. I adopted a policy of loaning it to anyone in the dorm (Bursely Hall) that asked to borrow it. Everyone knew it belonged to me. It always came back.
Predictions: Talking about calculators in class that same year (1972), I took a three ring notebook turned it sideways opened it and suggested the facing cover would be the display screen and the keyboard would be where the pages were held; a personal laptop computer. I had to wait another twenty years for it to arrive on my desk.
Worst experiance with it: I missed an 'A' in a mechanical design course by one point. I took a square root (one key stroke) instead of cube root (x raised to the y) on the final exam. The professor wouldn't budge.
I wish I still had it. After graduation, I loaned to to my employer's wife for to calculate discounts in a flower & plant store she was running. The store was broken into and it was stolen. They paid for a later model (21 or 25??).
I didn't like little leather case that came with it; too insubstantial. I bought a zippered bible cover and a bakelite case at Radio Shack. I trimmed the case to fit inside the bible cover and then lined the case with nylon lined neoprene to absorb shock. The 35 fit perfectly inside. I still have case. I keep my LCD multi-meter in it.
If I had it I would probably have it mounted on the wall in my office.
It finally arrived in late September.
So how did I handle it? It was the only one on campus that I was aware of. I took it to my professors and asked if I could use it in class and on exams. After they wiped the drool away, they all said yes.
It saw the greatest use in the dorm, loaned to engineers taking surveying. I adopted a policy of loaning it to anyone in the dorm (Bursely Hall) that asked to borrow it. Everyone knew it belonged to me. It always came back.
Predictions: Talking about calculators in class that same year (1972), I took a three ring notebook turned it sideways opened it and suggested the facing cover would be the display screen and the keyboard would be where the pages were held; a personal laptop computer. I had to wait another twenty years for it to arrive on my desk.
Worst experiance with it: I missed an 'A' in a mechanical design course by one point. I took a square root (one key stroke) instead of cube root (x raised to the y) on the final exam. The professor wouldn't budge.
I wish I still had it. After graduation, I loaned to to my employer's wife for to calculate discounts in a flower & plant store she was running. The store was broken into and it was stolen. They paid for a later model (21 or 25??).
I didn't like little leather case that came with it; too insubstantial. I bought a zippered bible cover and a bakelite case at Radio Shack. I trimmed the case to fit inside the bible cover and then lined the case with nylon lined neoprene to absorb shock. The 35 fit perfectly inside. I still have case. I keep my LCD multi-meter in it.
If I had it I would probably have it mounted on the wall in my office.
