RJvM wrote: ↑Fri Aug 19, 2022 5:49 pm
If your laptop is always near... this begs the question why bother with a calculator at all...
As I wrote that comment, I felt this reply was coming! I have a few counter reasons:
1. A calculator has an interface specifically designed for quick calculations
And many people choose to use a 'calculator' on a computer, phone, calculator. For me, personally, I find the RPN way of calculating things really intuitive and useful for checks and quick calculations. Just because you have a full laptop, doesn't mean that all your calculations will be done in excel, R, python, google, etc.. We still like to do quick calculations using an interface designed for that.
2. Laptops are cumbersome, even if near by:
I would pick my phone running free42/plus42 over my laptop running the same. I have a numpad on the phone, it doesn't sit on top of everything on my desk. My work computer doesn't run free42, so I'd need my personal laptop to hand. My line of work is clinical, so I'm often in a consulting room, or on a ward, it's always easier to use a small portable device for calculations.
3. You write a program infrequently:
If I need a program on my calculator, I am happy to find the time to write it. That time period might cover several weeks. During that time, I will be able to find some time where I can use a laptop to write a program. In contrast when I need a calculation, I usually need it right there and then. A quick tally up of costs for items, or splitting costs etc.. I work in a clinical setting, so I often need to calculate body surface area, BMI, sense-check drug doses, or more complicated medical calculators for predicting risks of treatments etc..