Wikipedia

5231 readers

536 users here now

A place to share interesting articles from Wikipedia.

Rules:

Only links to Wikipedia permitted (an exception is made for news about Wikipedia, where outside news sources are permitted)
Please stick to the format "Article Title (other descriptive text/editorialization)"
Tick the NSFW box for submissions with inappropriate thumbnails
On Casual Tuesdays, we allow submissions from wikis other than Wikipedia.

Recommended:

Use the search box to see if someone has previously submitted an article. Some apps will also notify you if you are resubmitting an article previously shared on Lemmy.

founded 3 years ago

MODERATORS

dantheclamman@lemmy.world

Plum@lemmy.world

Curta - Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 year ago by Cheradenine@sh.itjust.works to c/wikipedia@lemmy.world

12 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The Curta is a hand-held mechanical calculator designed by Curt Herzstark. It is known for its extremely compact design: a small cylinder that fits in the palm of the hand.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] teft@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

The machines have a high curiosity value; in 2016 they sold for around US$1,000, but buyers paid as much as US$1,900 for models in pristine condition with notable serial numbers.

Aw, man. Guess i’m not gonna have a cool math grenade for my desk.

Edit: Here’s a Numberphile video about it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDn_DDsBWws

[–] Bags@piefed.social 2 points 1 year ago

One showed up in the glass case of my local Savers somehow last year for ~$800. I was VERY VERY tempted. It was a Type II, with the case, and the finger-loop was intact.

All in all, that's actually a screamin' bargain, but I definitely wasn't in a place to drop $800 +tax on the spot. I thought about it ALL day and the whole next day after, went back after work to buy it, and it was gone. Wasn't meant to be.