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Graphing calculators for school use infuriate me. For the price of a calculator[0] you can instead buy an entry-level Chromebook[1]. You would get a general pu

by pdpi 5y ago

Graphing calculators for school use infuriate me. For the price of a calculator[0] you can instead buy an entry-level Chromebook[1]. You would get a general purpose-ish computer instead of a highly specialised, highly limited, woefully underpowered device. It feels like a weird case of regulatory capture. 0. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Texas-Instruments-84PLCE-TBL-2E5/dp/B01086MEM2/ 1. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dell-Chromebook-3120-3120-7898-Resolution/dp/B016DP0XUW/

markus_zhang 5y ago
But maybe someone has a contract with some schools so it's good money.
dotcommand 5y ago
People in the UK are forced to buy these calculators also? Thought it was an exclusively US racket. Another hit to american exceptionalism. With the rise of smartphones, I figured I was part of the last generation forced to buy these overpriced TI calculators. It's so sad to see this racket going strong today. You spend $100 ( a lot of money to most people ) on a useless device that you don't ever use again. Never once in college or thereafter have I used my TI calculator.
seidoger 5y ago
Calculators are still distraction-free. They're a purpose-build device. Our exams in engineering school took into account we could solve 5 equations/unknowns problems with our TI-92 Plus (at the time). Can't imagine students with Chromebooks during exams (edit: or maybe I'm just from a different time)
- pdpi 5y ago
  There's good reasons to having a dedicated, more limited device. What bothers me is that the device is a hard requirement for students, which means TI and Casio get to charge unreasonable amounts of money for these calculators that are not reflective of what they'd otherwise be worth. I brought up the Chromebook not so much as a suggested alternative, but as a benchmark for what sort of hardware you can get for the same money when your market isn't completely tied to your product.

by pdpi 5y ago

markus_zhang 5y ago

But maybe someone has a contract with some schools so it's good money.

dotcommand 5y ago

People in the UK are forced to buy these calculators also? Thought it was an exclusively US racket. Another hit to american exceptionalism. With the rise of smartphones, I figured I was part of the last generation forced to buy these overpriced TI calculators. It's so sad to see this racket going strong today. You spend $100 ( a lot of money to most people ) on a useless device that you don't ever use again. Never once in college or thereafter have I used my TI calculator.

seidoger 5y ago

Calculators are still distraction-free. They're a purpose-build device. Our exams in engineering school took into account we could solve 5 equations/unknowns problems with our TI-92 Plus (at the time). Can't imagine students with Chromebooks during exams (edit: or maybe I'm just from a different time)

pdpi 5y ago
There's good reasons to having a dedicated, more limited device. What bothers me is that the device is a hard requirement for students, which means TI and Casio get to charge unreasonable amounts of money for these calculators that are not reflective of what they'd otherwise be worth. I brought up the Chromebook not so much as a suggested alternative, but as a benchmark for what sort of hardware you can get for the same money when your market isn't completely tied to your product.