How many of you like HP41C calculators?

From: John Allain <allain_at_panix.com>
Date: Thu Nov 20 09:33:28 2003

When I worked at IBM research there was often the argument that 'one
of your assertions is wrong, therefore your entire argument is wrong'.
I usually stopped arguing at that point, even though I had a sneaking
suspicion that their approach was too simple -- but it had appealed to
me at some level. Later it dawned on me that it was my background in
mathematics that was resonating, where every equation had to be
right all the way across.
Life usually (always?) deviates from mathematic perfection at some
point. I think for arguing about computers it's not yes-it-is/no-it-isn't
but more of a spectrum of measurable quantities that get closer or
farther from an ideal or a set of ideals. Maybe someone should list
out those ideals and rate the 41C against them.


John A.

1.) Hopcroft / Ullman 8.3 <g>
Received on Thu Nov 20 2003 - 09:33:28 GMT