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published by Fjnbk

2 weeks 2 days ago • 1650 views

tags: mechanical, curta, calculator, math, herzstark, contina, liechtenstein, handheld

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Seriously, the Curta is a handheld fully mechanical calculator invented during the 1940s by Curt Herzstark, a prisoner at the Buchenwald concentration camp. It can perform the four basic mathematical operations along with square roots with a little more difficulty.

These things were the best calculators around until electronic ones came out, and they now sell on ebay for over $1000. They were the first things Liechtenstein, the world's richest country (per capita), ever manufactured. Nothing is cooler than the Curta.

Comments

Is that a curta in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

Seriously tho .. incredible device.

written by ashes2flames | 2 weeks 2 days ago | CH

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Outstanding. I want one. It's a shame they don't make them anymore, but I guess it just wouldn't make much sense financially, since electric calculators can be made so cheaply these days.

written by Xax | 2 weeks 2 days ago | CH

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ebay has 'em for you collector folk

written by rottenseed

| 2 weeks 1 day ago | CH

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No, you don't understand, I HAVE TO HAVE ONE!

written by omnistegan

| 2 weeks 1 day ago | CH

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It'll never replace the abacus, of which there is now a virtual version:

http://www.coolmath4kids.com/calculators/abacus/

Nevermind, there's a virtual Curta too! Damned technology moves so fast!

http://www.vcalc.net/curta_simulator_en.htm

written by quantumushroom

| 2 weeks 1 day ago | CH

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This thing revolutionized portable "calculators," in terms of size, weight, accuracy, and durability. Before, calculators came in these horrid briefcase-type things that were ridiculously cumbersome and heavy, especially when on-site at a major engineering project (a skyscraper, for example).

written by HaricotVert

| 2 weeks 1 day ago | CH

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very cool, but simpler I think with pen and paper.

written by dag

| 2 weeks 1 day ago | CH

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Haha yeah Dag, I was thinking about how useful this would be until I had the same thought. I can multiply 98 times 485 on paper in ten to fifteen seconds. Not to say it's useless but sometimes I worry about today's kids, even kids of my generation, who seem to be not so hot at math compared to the baby boomers.

written by budzos

| 2 weeks 1 day ago | CH

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