Why does my (oldish) Texas Instruments not have a PRB button?
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It would be unusual for old TI to have that button. You would have to go way back to find that button on any machine. My 1947 Burroughs advanced differential adding machine had one (See photo). Of course, this unit came with the optional complex matrix integrator, and statistical processing system, that might be why.
By the early 1970s with the electronic calculators, these options were no longer available – it could not even do a simple square root, let alone generate complex solutions.
Doing that was worse than replacing vacuum tubes with transistors; don’t even get me started on integrated circuits. Another thing, just as bad: the libraries replaced the card catalogs with the new-fangled electronic lookup machines. I really enjoyed separating cards, stuck together from gooey fingers and careless sneezes. God, I miss those days!
It was a conspiracy; I tell you … A real conspiracy! But they couldn’t take my slide rule away from me. No sir! I was smart – I hid it in my sock. Pretty sneaky, wasn’t it?
Finally, in the last few months the electronic technology is starting to catch-up to the advanced mechanical technology of the 1930s and 40s. It is still not as good, though. The PRB button on those old machines is still more advanced than any PRB button on modern machines.
So, if you want to find a PRB button on an older unit, you will have to go back 60 or more years, everything in-between are the very dark ages.
I wish they still made parts for those Burroughs adding machines. It’s no wonder us old geezers live in the past. I miss the good old days.
Giddy-up, Frances, else we ain’t gonna make it home before dark.
Reluctantly Modern Old Geezer
Why does my (oldish) Texas Instruments not have a PRB button?
------
It would be unusual for old TI to have that button. You would have to go way back to find that button on any machine. My 1947 Burroughs advanced differential adding machine had one (See photo). Of course, this unit came with the optional complex matrix integrator, and statistical processing system, that might be why.
By the early 1970s with the electronic calculators, these options were no longer available – it could not even do a simple square root, let alone generate complex solutions.
Doing that was worse than replacing vacuum tubes with transistors; don’t even get me started on integrated circuits. Another thing, just as bad: the libraries replaced the card catalogs with the new-fangled electronic lookup machines. I really enjoyed separating cards, stuck together from gooey fingers and careless sneezes. God, I miss those days!
It was a conspiracy; I tell you … A real conspiracy! But they couldn’t take my slide rule away from me. No sir! I was smart – I hid it in my sock. Pretty sneaky, wasn’t it?
Finally, in the last few months the electronic technology is starting to catch-up to the advanced mechanical technology of the 1930s and 40s. It is still not as good, though. The PRB button on those old machines is still more advanced than any PRB button on modern machines.
So, if you want to find a PRB button on an older unit, you will have to go back 60 or more years, everything in-between are the very dark ages.
I wish they still made parts for those Burroughs adding machines. It’s no wonder us old geezers live in the past. I miss the good old days.
Giddy-up, Frances, else we ain’t gonna make it home before dark.
Reluctantly Modern Old Geezer
+118608 What a fabulous post. (But, what does PRB stand for?)
Why didn't you identify yourself?
That was hilarious.
For the young people: Francis was a talking mule. The movies were very funny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU9vIvpBBd8
+128408 Great post...If I could, I'd give it a "thumbs-up and a finger" .....no, not THAT finger !!!
I think "Anonymous" likes to remain, well, Anonymous
His sign-off Reluctantly Modern Old Geezer, acronym-wise, is RMOG..... which = Real Men Of Genius
He neglected one fine detail......some older calculators also had a PBJ button.....however, they were discontinued mainly because they cost more bread and often got the user into a jam.
