You have been visited by the ARITHMETIC HAND GRENADE

[donlamb_1@mastodon.online]

@SnoopJ @USelaine I have one of these. It used to be my dad’s.

[snoopj@hachyderm.io]

@donlamb_1 @USelaine a man of excellent taste, then!

[donlamb_1@mastodon.online]

@SnoopJ @USelaine he was a land surveyor.

[snoopj@hachyderm.io]

@EricLawton @futurebird this is a new form factor to me, thanks for making me aware of it! what a beauty

[futurebird@sauropods.win]

@SnoopJ

I first found out about this device as it plays a big role in William Gibson's spy novel. I am mad at him for probably driving up the price such that I'll never be able to own one.

[snoopj@hachyderm.io]

@futurebird I've not actually read that one, but it came up in another reply. Guess I should get around to it sometime!

[brouhaha@mastodon.social]

@futurebird @SnoopJ
The main thing that drove up the price was the Scientific American article, not the WG novel.

I have a Type I, but shortly after I got it, the add/subtract slider failed, and now it only subtracts regardless of the slider position. I hope to get it repaired someday.

[lain_7@tldr.nettime.org]

@joshg @SnoopJ

ooooh, check out the fuller spiral slide rule:

Fuller calculator - Wikipedia

(en.wikipedia.org)

[clive@saturation.social]

@SnoopJ About twice a year i go onto to eBay and look at listings for a curta and gently stroke my screen with my fingertips thinking of what it would be like to own one

[lain_7@tldr.nettime.org]

@joshg @SnoopJ

and after that, Thacher’s calculating instrument:

Thatcher’s Calculating Instrument – University of Toronto Scientific Instruments Collection

(utsic.utoronto.ca)

[fname@kamloops.social]

@SnoopJ
"And the Lord spake, saying, First shalt
               thou take out the Holy Pin.
               Then, shalt thou count to three, no more,
               no less.
              Three shalt be the number thou shalt
              count, and the number of the counting
              shalt be three.
              Four shalt thou not count,
              nor either count thou two, excepting that
              thou then proceed to three.
              Five is right out.
              Once the number three,
              being the third number, be reached, then
              lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of
              Antioch towards thy foe, who being
              naughty in my sight, shall snuf it."

[lily@homestead.social]

@SnoopJ So sorry for that and thank you so much for flagging! I have removed the boost and updated to the version with the patch!

[snoopj@hachyderm.io]

@lily no apology necessary, just taking it upon myself to let operators know as it happens. I'll untag you from the post when next I update it, cheers!

[lily@homestead.social]

@SnoopJ also thank you throwing that patch together!

[snoopj@hachyderm.io]

@lily what can I say, Python and a Unicode quirk is a combination that is like cat-nip for me

[ggmcbg@mstdn.plus]

@SnoopJ

It's like if Clive Barker had written about Hell's mathletes instead.

"We have such sines to show you."

[_the_cloud@mastodon.social]

@SnoopJ "Nor either count thou two point seven one eight, excepting that thou then proceed to three."

[joshg@mathstodon.xyz]

@lain_7 @SnoopJ ooh, that looks worth turning into a printable / craftable design. thanks, now I have another side project on the docket

[lowfive@theforkiverse.com]

@petes_bread_eqn_xls @SnoopJ Ah, yes. That's the one with the protagonist who's allergic to branding if I'm not mistaken. I'm gonna line up a couple new books and revisit his work.

[coderanger@cloudisland.nz]

@SnoopJ if you ever come visit SF I’ve got my grandfather’s, it’s good fun.