Never enough knowledge
This working Psion cost £4 at the local car boot sale. Because of its early place in the PDA/organiser timeline, the Organiser II, launched in 1986 has historical significance as part of the shift from simple calculators toward personal digital assistants. The CM version is the entry-level model of the Organiser II family. The CM…
Speedwriting is a type of shorthand that uses the standard alphabet and punctuation marks to help write faster. Unlike traditional shorthand systems like Pitman or Gregg, which rely on a new set of symbols, speedwriting is based on the phonetic sounds of words and uses abbreviations. This is achieved by following a few key principles:…
Speedwords was designed by Reginald J.G. Dutton to serve a dual purpose: to be both an abbreviated writing system (shorthand) and an international auxiliary language. Reginald first helped his father in his Bookselling and Printing Business before becoming a journalist and developing his improved system of shorthand. Biographical notes he wrote of himself are available…
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Donald Trump’s policies and stated positions are widely considered to be detrimental to climate change control efforts, both domestically and internationally as summarised below from the sources noted. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement: During his first term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on climate change, a landmark international accord aimed at reducing…
An Abacus consists of beads or stones on rods or wires each representing a numerical value. Beads are manipulated to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The one shown here has nine beads on each rod. A horizontal beam divides the rods into an upper and a lower section such that one bead on each rod is…
Scale rules are tools used to measure distances on scale drawings and physical models, allowing for precise calculations of actual object dimensions based on the drawing’s scale. A scale rule indicates the relationship between a drawing’s dimensions and the actual object’s dimensions, so a scale of 1:50 means that 1 unit on the drawing represents 50…
A slide calculator is a type of small, hand-held mechanical calculator, primarily for adding and subtracting. The example shown opposite features parallel toothed metal strips within a metal envelope and a side-mounted stylus to operate it. The Addiator-Gesellschaft company, based in Berlin, Germany, was a prominent manufacturer, and the term “Addiator” is often used as…
This Brunsviga model 18RK serial 34-113557 was obtained at a local car boot sale for £25. The machine I purchased was in full working order. Its serial number indicated that it was manufactured around 1954 with a retail price list of DM710. It is a type of pinwheel calculator which utilises rotating wheels (pinwheels) with…
Alexander George Thornton founded his business in 1880 in Manchester, took over the Precision Instrument Co in 1901 and in 1967 changed the name of the company to British Thornton. The firm grew to become one of the largest manufacturers of drawing instruments and slide rules in Britain. PIC continued to be used by Thornton…
Cylindrical slide rules exist in two designs – one with a logarithmic scale wrapped in a spiral around the outside of a cylinder (such as the Otis King and Fuller’s rule), the other in the form of bars (Thatcher). Both types provide a longer scale than a straight or circular rule, which can lead to…