An amazing day: Giving a talk at HP about their calculators

[Geir Isene]

A crazy-good day (Google translator is your friend):

Blog post and video

[Mike Morrow]

I did not see anyone there, save for one older gentleman near the window, who looked older than the HP-35, nor even old enough to remember the HP-41C. :-)

[Geir Isene]

But you can hear them :-) All 50 or so.

[Mike Morrow]

Sorry, Geir, my posting is misunderstood. I had no doubt that there were quite a few in attendance! I remarked that I saw only one who would have been older the HP-35, or even old enough to remember the HP-41C when it was new...including you and Arne. :-)

I was a Junior studying electrical engineering at Georgia Tech when the HP-35 appeared...so my comment emphasizes one of the "benefits" that stem from being the oldest in any particular group more often now than I would like.

Even though I understand very little of Norwegian or other north Germanic language when spoken, your enthusiasm and that of the audience response were obvious. It seems that everyone had a good time. Unfortunately, Google Translate is of no help. :-(

[Geir Isene]

:-) I was just following up with a semi-snappy comment, that's all.

[Arne Helme]

Hi Mike,

the CEO of HP Norway informed me that the average age of employees at the company is well above 40, and quite a few of them have been at HP for a long time.

I remember the 41C when it was new! It was that unobtainable high tech item I thought I could never afford until my grandfather decided to give me one as a present.

[Mike Morrow]

Hi Arne,

I enjoyed the presentation, limited however by my illiteracy in Norwegian! (I studied Swedish in 1971, to no good effect.)

I watched all 46 minutes. The presentation (no Power Point slides!) that you and Geir delivered was infectiously enthusiastic, and equally as well received...the best of all outcomes. You both must have had great fun.

I wasn't able to afford my first HP (a HP-67) until I'd been an officer for three years on a cold war submarine out of Scotland...we didn't get paid very much. That expensive HP-67 was useful for several nuclear propulsion plant and navigation applications...in a universe far far away now.

I'm at the age now where everyone looks young, even people well over 40. :-)

[aurelio]

Hi Geir hi all , I watched the movie, altough I've been not able to understand your language, I've felt the calculator enthusiasm of the meeting.
I' liked so much the Santa Claus moment, when adults become for a while again childs...

What really I don't understand is the meaning of some messagges on your blog, maybe humor people?

Edited: 15 Dec 2013, 10:07 a.m.

[Geir Isene]

Yeah, there's a lot of humor on my blog :-)

[aurelio]

Hi Geir, what I said was related exclusively to the messages I read about the presentation!
I've visited many times your site and I appreciate a lot it!
By the way people without any humor are closer to machines than humans, it was not a complain, at all!
Ciao.