The Picard Maneuver@startrek.websiteM to Lemmy Shitpost@lemmy.world · 8 months agoThey'll make anything you needstartrek.websiteimagemessage-square19fedilinkarrow-up1540arrow-down110
arrow-up1530arrow-down1imageThey'll make anything you needstartrek.websiteThe Picard Maneuver@startrek.websiteM to Lemmy Shitpost@lemmy.world · 8 months agomessage-square19fedilink
minus-squareBillMurray@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up16·edit-28 months agoWhy is it that all good calculator manufacturers also have a dark side? I have an RPN calculator made by HP, back in the day they made the holy Grail of RPNs the 32 SII. But they are the single worst thing that has happened to printer ink.
minus-squareRegalPotoo@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up14·8 months agoBecause if you are a microchip manufacturer in the 70s: Calculators are a reasonably good revenue stream once you’ve developed a chip, but needs a ton of upfront investment Defence contractors have essentially unlimited budgets from DoD, need chips, and are more than willing to pay for all the R&D to get what they need The entire US tech and aerospace industries are built on what is effectively massive government subsidies in the form of weapons contracts
Why is it that all good calculator manufacturers also have a dark side? I have an RPN calculator made by HP, back in the day they made the holy Grail of RPNs the 32 SII. But they are the single worst thing that has happened to printer ink.
Because if you are a microchip manufacturer in the 70s:
The entire US tech and aerospace industries are built on what is effectively massive government subsidies in the form of weapons contracts