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What happens when you set out to build a pocket calculator? Well in this case it turns out you also accidentally invent desktop computers, and spawn a bunch of CPUs that are still being used today.
Follow along as we go through the thoroughly bizarre story of how trying to do complex maths and fit it in our pockets lead directly to the machine you're using right now to watch this video.
Calculators were originally like computers - huge boxes that required care and maintenance and sat firmly on a desk plugged into the wall. Today everyone wants to own a smartphone, back then everyone wanted a pocket calculator.
The story of trying to cram a whole shoebox of electronics into a pocket involves dodgy corporate dealings, people starting their own companies and deciding that while calculators were nice, being able to program them would be even better.
Part of the difficulty of building a calculator is working out how to understand the maths the operators were entering. A basic four function calculator can be thought of as a simple state machine, but once we get to doing scientific functions or longer multi stage formulae. And this is where a technique known as Reverse Polish Notation comes in.
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Credits / Attributions
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm...
Wilhelm Schickard 1592-1635. Astronom, Geograph, Orientalist, Erfinder der Rechenmaschine, Tübingen 1978
Replica of Schickards calculating machine
Herbert Klaeren
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaise_...
A Pascaline signed by Pascal in 1652
commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Anita MK8 calculator
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F038812-0014 / Schaack, Lothar / CC-BY-SA 3.0
Intel C1103 - By Thomas Nguyen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Intel 4004 - By the Science Museum - [1], CC BY 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Intel 8008 - By Konstantin Lanzet - CPU Collection Konstantin LanzetCamera: Canon EOS 400D, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Intel 8080 - By The Science Museum UK - [1], CC BY 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Intel 8086 - By Thomas Nguyen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
6502 - CC BY-SA 3.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Zilog Z80 - By The original uploader was Damicatz at English Wikipedia. - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., CC BY 2.5, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
Busicom logo - By Comrade-yutyo - Own workThis file was derived from: Busicom back 1.jpg:, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...
www.vintagecalculators.com/htm...
Intel commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
HP-35 - By Mister rf - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...