• Steve@startrek.website
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    1 year ago

    Thats a stupid statement in any year after the “pocket calculator” was available in the 70s

    • SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Not really. The first ones were quite expensive, and it was uncommon to have one on your person at all times like we now do with smartphones.

      • Rodeo@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Yes really, if your job requires lots of calculations you’d be stupid not to have one, even back when they were expensive.

        Every machinist I know, even the crusty old ones, carry a calculator in their pocket. It’s indispensable. Why wouldn’t you carry one if you need it all the time?

        • SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Pretty sure the teacher wasn’t assuming that every single child in class was going to be a machinist.

          In fact, most people aren’t machinists.

          • Rodeo@lemmy.ca
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            1 year ago

            And yet my point stands: if you need to do a lot of calculations at your job, you’d be stupid not to have a calculator in your pocket. And if you don’t, then the time it takes to find a calculator will be negligible.

              • Rodeo@lemmy.ca
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                1 year ago

                Uh what, that’s literally the point lol. The “you won’t have a calculator” has been complete and utter bullshit for literally over half a century.

                • SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  Bro, smartphones haven’t even existed for 20 years

                  You’re talking as if everybody was carrying around pocket calculators the day they were invented

                  • Rodeo@lemmy.ca
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                    1 year ago

                    No actually I literally specified people whose jobs require doing a lot of calculations lmao

                    If your job required lots of calculations, and you heard about this fancy new thing called a pocket calculator, wouldn’t you go out and buy one?