It’s 2010 and I’m in Love With a Calculator From 1984
In 1982 Arthur C. Clarke published a novel called, 2010: Odyssey Two which was made into a film in 1984 with the shortened title 2010 which was a sequel to his 1968 novel 2001: A Space Odyssey which was really just a novelization of the Stanley Kubric film predictably called 2001: A Space Odyssey which — I know this is getting confusing — was based on Clarke’s short story The Sentinel.
I remember seeing 2010 at the movie theater in 1984, seeing the awesome space-oriented special effects, and thinking how awesome it’s going to be when 2010 finally gets here. But, the tag-line of the movie was: the year we make contact which, after seeing other movies such as Signs and Pitch Black make me wonder if we really want to be here barricading our farm house and waiting for the aliens to swoop down and suck-out our insides.
1984 was also the year I bought a Hewlett-Packard 11c calculator with RPN (Reverse Polish Notation). I’m guessing most of you have no idea what this calculator is and why I should be making such a big deal about it, but I’m also willing to predict that those of you that actually own one have never upgraded and are still using it to this day.
How can I make such a claim? Because, not only is the HP 11c the greatest calculator ever invented, but once you get used to it you are completely ruined when it comes to operating other calculators!
I’m not going to bore you with the details as to why this is such a great calculator because you will most likely have the same reaction as hatingtherain did on the phone yesterday: “I don’t want to hear about it!” which was quickly followed by her calling me a “geek” and asking me what color pocket-protector she should buy me for my birthday.
See how she loves me? 
The sad thing is that my 11c is beginning to show signs of wear and Hewlett-Packard stopped making them more than 10-years ago. You can periodically find them on eBay for $200-$300 but usually they are in worse shape than the one I’ve already got.
Which is why I am so glad I live in 2010. Yesterday, after fiddling around in the app store on my iPhone, I discovered they have an application. Yes, someone created an exact duplicate and I can now have a fully functional HP 11c calculator with me at all times wherever I go!
When will the future get here? Trust me, the future is now.
Dead Rooster is the online home of 
LOL!!
You just proved you’re a geek baby. Look at that screenshot…only a geek is up at 6:44 AM playing with thier calculator apps:)
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William McCamment
reply on January 1st, 2010 5:31 pm:
You’re right. The sad thing is that I was playing with it even earlier before I took the screenshot. LOL
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hatingtherain
reply on January 1st, 2010 5:43 pm:
You’re incredibly HOT for a geek
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William McCamment
reply on January 1st, 2010 5:49 pm:
You are the hot one sweetheart.
Have you considered the Calculator Collecting ring? Sadly HPs are VERY collectable…there’s something about the RPN that warms the cockles of the inner geek heart ir seems. Possibly to do with being able to visualise the registers being loaded with the values first and then you do the operands on the values, the results beinf stored on the stacks.
The iPhone itself is in danger of becoming a tell-tale geek sign, due to all the apps you can download for it. I even heard of one being developed for locksmiths who have to open safes…
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William McCamment
reply on January 2nd, 2010 9:59 am:
I personally know two other people that own the 11c. Both of them are still using it and would easily buy a new one if HP would reissue.
I had no idea there was such a thing as a “calculator collecting ring.” My geekiness, however, doesn’t quite reach that far. LOL
The one thing I truly hate about the iPhone app is the horrible click noise they programmed into it when you push the buttons. I know I can turn it off, but I like a “click” when I push the buttons; if only they’d change it to sound like the click sound of the texting keyboard or even slightly more muffled. Then it would be perfect.
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It’s the little joys in life. Apparently VERY little.
You know you could also go on this other technology– it’s called Ebay– and likely find yourself a replacement calculator of that very same model for not too many dineros?
My dad is one of you calculator people. He’s insisted to me many times that this or that calculator is “collectible.” I understand where HatingtheRain is coming from.
But happy new year to you! And let’s hope we don’t have any alien invasions this year.
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William McCamment
reply on January 4th, 2010 5:46 pm:
Jenn of Many Cabbages? LOL
Unfortunately, this is one of those “collectible” calculators and ebay is too expensive. I’ve found a few in nice shape, but they were over $200. Your dad seems cool, I bet he and I would get along great. LOL
With the new iPhone app, I am somewhat satisfied, but it’s just not the same as the real one.
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How I can enjoy reading about a calculator is beyond me but I did.Good to see you back in action. Those first few comments reminded me of Benny and Kelly
LOL
So their story ended well what about yours ? Happy New Year William
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William McCamment
reply on January 5th, 2010 6:40 am:
Hi John! Always good to see you. I’ve been working on a few “secret” projects that take up a lot of my time so I haven’t been updating like I should.
Also, hatingtherain has changed the course of my blogging persona quite a bit (we’ve actually been together longer than Benny and Kelly). A lot of what made this blog interesting was reports of me flirting with super-hot girls and looking like a dufus. I can’t really do that anymore without getting myself into hot water.
But, I’m not complaining (look at her! she’s fucking hot!).
Anyway, it just goes to show: if you have no shame about looking like a dufus, you can hit the jackpot like I did with HTR.
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What makes this so special? It looks rather confusing to me and that’s most likely because I usually add and subtract. Well .. sometimes I get daring and multiply or divide. Truly, though, what in the world does it do and why do you need something so complicated, unless you’re a rocket scientist.
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William McCamment
reply on January 8th, 2010 5:38 am:
Funny that you mention “rocket scientist” because when I first bought this calculator I was literally working with a bunch of rocket scientists at a company called American Automated Engineering. That’s where I found out about it.
They were all using this calculator because it made complex calculations much easier to perform. If you look closely, you will notice there is no “=” button. That’s because there is a totally different concept of how to input numbers and perform calculations. For instance, with a regular calculator you push the following buttons:
1 + 1 =
and it displays the answer: 2
But with the 11c it goes like this:
1 ENTER, 1 ENTER +
and it displays the answer: 2
I know it seems kind of backwards and a little insane, but when you’re doing complicated formulas it really makes sense. It also follows the general structure of calculations when writing computer code.
Anyway, once you get used to this reverse notation on a calculator it feels very awkward to use a standard calculator.
I hope that kind of makes sense.
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I worked in accounting departments for years and it make perfect sense. I think you might want to purchase one more and hold it in abeyance … just in case you ever need it. Thank you for the intelligent answer that even a Fly Girl can understand. I use that term loosely, but it helps to emphasize how “technically brainy” I am … Not!
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“When will the future get here? Trust me, the future is now.” – great words !!!!
Men are so funny from our side ) if i ask about BD presents – i ask for shoes, perfume, not high-tech stuffs )
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coolest blog post about a calculator ever. I have seen one of these before.
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I actually have this calculator and have been using it for 20 years or so.
Great post!
Jim
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