I was cleaning out my home directory and forgot I had this stuff. It’s a collection of Java based slide rules (Java code by Eric Ross and Stefan Vorkoetter, used by permission). I also have a decent collection of slide rules and not so long ago used my flagship rule, a Kueffel and Esser Decilon, to do two years of differential and integral calculus.
I haven’t had to use the calculus for three years, though. I couldn’t integrate a problem today if my life depended on it. That concerns me. It cost a lot of time and effort to get that knowledge into my head.
I can’t be the only one to experience this. What did you do about it?
2 comments ↓
Although slide rules RULE…..I too have never need one in order to put food on the table or a roof over my head…
I do beleive that you must be a bit quirky to love the slide rule so…lol
It’s the elegance and pure functionality of the things. The main limitation to the accuracy is the resolution of the rule. That is, how close together you can paint the markings. Imagine how accurate a three foot long rule could be.
I suppose you’re right about the quirkiness.
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