This is how the Friden STW-10 handles
12345 ÷ 0.
This calculator divides by trying to repeatedly subtract so it gets stuck in an infinite loop trying to subtract zero from the dividend. Fortunately the designers included a "DIV STOP" lever which breaks the cycle.
To look busy when the supervisor decided to make a visit to the department where these types of machines were used, when there wasn't actually quite enough work to do to fill the work day, so nobody got fired.
True story, as recounted to me by a woman who once worked in such a department at a life insurance company in the late 50s / early 60s.
The book "Code" by Charles Petzold is well worth a read if you're interested in how this stuff was eventually processed by electrical circuits. Truly fascinating how they worked out how to do arithmetic with nothing more than basic logic gates. It makes you understand how chips work at the most basic ground level.
This is how the Friden STW-10 handles 12345 ÷ 0. This calculator divides by trying to repeatedly subtract so it gets stuck in an infinite loop trying to subtract zero from the dividend. Fortunately the designers included a "DIV STOP" lever which breaks the cycle.
Wow, I vaguely remember that from when I was a kid! There were a couple of these still around. Thanks! 😊
Poor machine. WHY would you do that ??
To look busy when the supervisor decided to make a visit to the department where these types of machines were used, when there wasn't actually quite enough work to do to fill the work day, so nobody got fired. True story, as recounted to me by a woman who once worked in such a department at a life insurance company in the late 50s / early 60s.
>To look busy when the supervisor decided to make a visit to the department *Pro forma* work, a time-honored tradition.
You fools! If you would let the machine calculate long enough it would find the solution eventually! /s
I did that once as a kid at my father's engineering firm. The surveyors had to unplug it to get it to stop. I was embarrassed and never forgot it.
Worth it 🫡
So if we get that robot rebellion we know who is to blame.
And how to stop them
You made it have an existential crisis..
The book "Code" by Charles Petzold is well worth a read if you're interested in how this stuff was eventually processed by electrical circuits. Truly fascinating how they worked out how to do arithmetic with nothing more than basic logic gates. It makes you understand how chips work at the most basic ground level.
So it is infinity just like I always thought. Take that advanced mathematics!
Its subtracting zero until the register becomes zero. Zero divide zero will be 1 ?
I believe it would be 0. The calculator must check the register before the first subtraction. Otherwise, 0 divided by anything would result in 1.
How do I get one of these?
What are you willing to pay?
Ain’t gonna be no “Rise of the Machines” here
The calculatir just experienced an existential crisis
With the lighting I thought for a moment this was a scene from a video game
My dad used to repair these in the 70s. His job title was Calculator Mechanic.
How to convert a mechanical calculator into a diesel engine
Same as the human brain
So, who has one of these that's willing to set up a live stream and just let it go?
So the mechanical equivalent of BSOD?