Please, allow me to quote:

[Luiz C. Vieira (Brazil)]

Quote:

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Hewlett-Packard (HP) invented the hand-held scientific calculator back in 1972 with the HP-35[1], and led a relentless charge of miniature technical innovation through the 1970s and 1980s, culminating with the HP-41 system, which was powerful enough to be used for mission-critical tasks[2] aboard early space shuttle flights.

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I could not help quoting this paragraph, based on link in previous post about the HP41 emulator, mostly because of another thread about RPN calculators.

IIRC the very first pocket HP calculators with algebraic system came after the Voyagers, is that correct? If so, HP reached the level of excellence mentioned above with nothing but RPN-only calculators, right?

Anyway, back then there were other beings walking in the surface of this planet... and they were not even close to dinosaurs because instead of extinction, they left us a technological legacy.

Luiz (Brazil)

Edited: 31 Dec 2012, 4:28 p.m.

[Walter B]

Quote:

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Anyway, back then there were other beings walking in the surface of this planet... and they were not even close to dinosaurs because instead of extinction, they left us a technological legacy.

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Well said, Luiz. But heirs may relinquish an inheritance, don't they? E.g. for ... ummh ... plain ignorance or for whatever other reason ...

d:-/

[Luiz C. Vieira (Brazil)]

True, indeed! Would that be a damned freaking collateral effect? I mean, not being able to understand what has actually been inherited? This is even worse than I thought,,,