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Curta Calculators

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  Curta Calculators Jason Evans <jsevans@mailfence.com> - 2020-09-20 20:20 +0000
    Re: Curta Calculators J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2020-09-20 16:51 -0400
    Re: Curta Calculators "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2020-09-20 22:48 +0200
    Re: Curta Calculators Chris <xxx.syseng.yyy@gfsys.co.uk> - 2020-09-20 23:30 +0100
      Re: Curta Calculators J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2020-09-20 18:46 -0400
        Re: Curta Calculators Chris <xxx.syseng.yyy@gfsys.co.uk> - 2020-09-21 00:56 +0100
          Re: Curta Calculators J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2020-09-20 20:10 -0400
            Re: Curta Calculators Niklas Karlsson <anksil@yahoo.se> - 2020-09-21 08:49 +0000
          Re: Curta Calculators JimP <chucktheouch@gmail.com> - 2020-09-21 09:15 -0500
      Re: Curta Calculators Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> - 2020-09-22 17:12 -0500
        Re: Curta Calculators Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2020-09-22 15:46 -0700
          Re: Curta Calculators David Lesher <wb8foz@panix.com> - 2020-09-23 04:00 +0000
          Re: Curta Calculators John Levine <johnl@taugh.com> - 2020-09-23 18:53 +0000
            Re: Curta Calculators Chris <xxx.syseng.yyy@gfsys.co.uk> - 2020-09-23 23:32 +0100
              Re: Curta Calculators "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2020-09-24 11:33 +0200
                Re: Curta Calculators Chris <xxx.syseng.yyy@gfsys.co.uk> - 2020-09-24 17:44 +0100
                  Re: Curta Calculators Peter Flass <peter_flass@yahoo.com> - 2020-09-24 11:21 -0700
                  Re: Curta Calculators Mike Spencer <mds@bogus.nodomain.nowhere> - 2020-09-24 15:32 -0300
                  Re: Curta Calculators J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2020-09-24 15:46 -0400
                    Re: Curta Calculators Chris <xxx.syseng.yyy@gfsys.co.uk> - 2020-09-24 23:38 +0100
                      Re: Curta Calculators Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2020-09-24 19:44 -0600
                    Re: Curta Calculators scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2020-09-25 15:28 +0000
            Re: Curta Calculators Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2020-09-23 15:36 -0700
            Re: Curta Calculators Dave Garland <dave.garland@wizinfo.com> - 2020-09-23 18:22 -0500
    Re: Curta Calculators Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2020-09-20 17:46 -0700
      Re: Curta Calculators J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2020-09-20 20:53 -0400
      Re: Curta Calculators Chris <xxx.syseng.yyy@gfsys.co.uk> - 2020-09-21 13:10 +0100
      Re: Curta Calculators Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2020-09-25 20:23 -0700
        Re: Curta Calculators Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2020-09-25 20:25 -0700
        Re: Curta Calculators David Lesher <wb8foz@panix.com> - 2020-09-26 22:58 +0000
    Re: Curta Calculators maus <maus@dmaus.org> - 2020-09-21 08:34 +0000
      Re: Curta Calculators Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2020-09-21 01:55 -0700
        Re: Curta Calculators maus <maus@dmaus.org> - 2020-09-22 12:14 +0000
      Re: Curta Calculators Niklas Karlsson <anksil@yahoo.se> - 2020-09-21 08:56 +0000
      Re: Curta Calculators J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2020-09-21 13:28 -0400
        Re: Curta Calculators Elliott Roper <nospam@yrl.co.uk> - 2020-09-21 19:00 +0000
          Re: Curta Calculators Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2020-09-21 13:53 -0600
            Re: Curta Calculators "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2020-09-21 22:39 +0200
          Re: Curta Calculators J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2020-09-21 18:17 -0400
            Re: Curta Calculators Elliott Roper <nospam@yrl.co.uk> - 2020-09-21 23:01 +0000
            Re: Curta Calculators Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2020-09-21 19:05 -0600
        Re: Curta Calculators maus <maus@dmaus.org> - 2020-09-22 12:16 +0000
    Re: Curta Calculators Joy Beeson <jbeeson@invalid.net.invalid> - 2020-09-21 18:58 -0400
      Re: Curta Calculators JimP <chucktheouch@gmail.com> - 2020-09-22 09:27 -0500
      Re: Curta Calculators Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2020-09-22 19:20 +0000
        Re: Curta Calculators J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2020-09-22 15:44 -0400

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#214559

40 years ago when my then-girlfriend (now wife) were doing Time Speed
Distance rallies, I really wanted a Curta but couldn't afford it.  Now I
don't have the application, but would still really like one -- and still
can't afford it...

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#214564

J. Clarke <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> writes:
>On Thu, 24 Sep 2020 17:44:40 +0100, Chris <xxx.syseng.yyy@gfsys.co.uk>
>wrote:
>
>>On 09/24/20 10:33, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>>> On 24/09/2020 00.32, Chris wrote:
>>>> On 09/23/20 19:53, John Levine wrote:
>>>>> In article<886802f4-f047-4d80-9e53-f847355ee5een@googlegroups.com>,
>>>>> Quadibloc<jsavard@ecn.ab.ca>  wrote:
>>>>>>> I can't think of any other high-tech product associated with the
>>>>>>> country of Liechtenstein.
>>>>>
>>>>> Hilti makes a wide range of sophisticated construction and
>>>>> engineering equipment.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Quite well known for nail guns, fwir...
>>>
>>> Once I ran over a Hilti drill that the man forgot on the asphalt. I
>>> think it survived.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Quite likely, designed for everyday constant use, abuse, building sites
>>etc, by those with little mechanical sensitivity and who don't care.
>>
>>If, like me, you sometimes buy power tools s/h at machinery sales or
>>car boots, you need to watch out for spares availability. No spare
>>parts for some older Hilti, whereas I can still get parts for a Bosch
>>power drill I bought new in 1983. Makita are good too...
>
>I finally had to retire my Bosch saber saw that I bought in 1979.  A
>piece broke that I could not get from Bosch USA--Bosch UK had it in
>stock but wouldn't ship it to me.

Let me guess - the little pot-metal 'shoe' that controls the
side-to-side tilt of the base?

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#214525

On Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 12:53:04 PM UTC-6, John Levine wrote:

> Hilti makes a wide range of sophisticated construction and engineering equipment. 

And, like Topre (!) you will sometimes see their name on those rubber mudguards
behind the wheels of trucks... ah, yes, the good feeling of oneness with cup rubber.

John Savard

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#214529

On 9/23/2020 1:53 PM, John Levine wrote:
> In article <886802f4-f047-4d80-9e53-f847355ee5een@googlegroups.com>,
> Quadibloc  <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:
>>> I can't think of any other high-tech product associated with the
>>> country of Liechtenstein.
> 
> Hilti makes a wide range of sophisticated construction and engineering equipment.
> 
Ah, I know the name, thanks. Didn't realize they were 
Liechtensteinian, thought Swiss or German, not widely used in the 
States. Was thinking the country's principal product was bankers.

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#214445

On Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 2:21:00 PM UTC-6, Jason Evans wrote:
> People are paying $2000+ for them on ebay so I don't see how 
> they wouldn't be profitable. 

People pay $2,000 for the original CURTA because it is a rare antique and collector's
item. If you made new ones, since they're not as convenient to use for calculation as
a $2 pocket calculator you can buy at a dollar store, you would have to set your price
below that in order for them to sell.

Not counting making _forgeries_, of course, which is a criminal enterprise.

But then, another poster has already explained this.

Still, I could be harsh. If you could manufacture quality replicas of the CURTA, the
reason that the originals are in demand as collector's items is because they're cute
and unusual - a complete mechanical adding machine with multiplication and division
that fits in your hand.

So they have indeed some appeal beyond pure rarity as a collectable, and pure utility
as a calculation device. So some people unable to afford the original would no doubt
be interested in a reproduction as a conversation piece. But how much could you charge
for it? My guess would be not more than $200.

John Savard

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#214446

On Sun, 20 Sep 2020 17:46:39 -0700 (PDT), Quadibloc
<jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:

>On Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 2:21:00 PM UTC-6, Jason Evans wrote:
>> People are paying $2000+ for them on ebay so I don't see how 
>> they wouldn't be profitable. 
>
>People pay $2,000 for the original CURTA because it is a rare antique and collector's
>item. If you made new ones, since they're not as convenient to use for calculation as
>a $2 pocket calculator you can buy at a dollar store, you would have to set your price
>below that in order for them to sell.
>
>Not counting making _forgeries_, of course, which is a criminal enterprise.
>
>But then, another poster has already explained this.
>
>Still, I could be harsh. If you could manufacture quality replicas of the CURTA, the
>reason that the originals are in demand as collector's items is because they're cute
>and unusual - a complete mechanical adding machine with multiplication and division
>that fits in your hand.
>
>So they have indeed some appeal beyond pure rarity as a collectable, and pure utility
>as a calculation device. So some people unable to afford the original would no doubt
>be interested in a reproduction as a conversation piece. But how much could you charge
>for it? My guess would be not more than $200.

That is a little more than the originals sold for, not corrected for
inflation.

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#214459

On 09/21/20 01:46, Quadibloc wrote:
> On Sunday, September 20, 2020 at 2:21:00 PM UTC-6, Jason Evans wrote:
>> People are paying $2000+ for them on ebay so I don't see how
>> they wouldn't be profitable.
>
> People pay $2,000 for the original CURTA because it is a rare antique and collector's
> item. If you made new ones, since they're not as convenient to use for calculation as
> a $2 pocket calculator you can buy at a dollar store, you would have to set your price
> below that in order for them to sell.
>
> Not counting making _forgeries_, of course, which is a criminal enterprise.
>
> But then, another poster has already explained this.
>
> Still, I could be harsh. If you could manufacture quality replicas of the CURTA, the
> reason that the originals are in demand as collector's items is because they're cute
> and unusual - a complete mechanical adding machine with multiplication and division
> that fits in your hand.
>
> So they have indeed some appeal beyond pure rarity as a collectable, and pure utility
> as a calculation device. So some people unable to afford the original would no doubt
> be interested in a reproduction as a conversation piece. But how much could you charge
> for it? My guess would be not more than $200.
>
> John Savard

Good luck with that. The problem with duplication such machines is
not just about tooling cost, but also the labour intensive assembly
and end of line adjustments. My guess: Not much change out of $10K
to build and sell, probably a lot more for low volume...

Chris

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#214570

I was doing a web search for material related to the Curta calculators, and
I found that there are two fan sites on the web by individual Curta collectors, one in Armenia.

https://www.jaapsch.net/mechcalc/curta.htm

A brochure on how to perform different calculations with the Curta noted that
a table was available to let you calculate easily cube roots accurate to five places
with it. I found a similar table for _square_ roots on both of the fan sites... but not
the table for cube roots!

In any event, on another page about the Curta calculator which was illustrated with
many photos, including two of the 3-D printed replica discussed here... there was
a comment below which I found hilarious.

https://newatlas.com/curta-death-camp-calculator/45506/

In the comment, it was stated that the slide rule was rendered obsolete... when
Hewlett-Packard released the HP 41CX programmable calculator!

Why did I find that a side-splitting howler?

It certainly is true that pocket calculators made the slide rule obsolete. After the
HP 35 scientific calculator came out, the writing was on the wall for the slide
rule - and when basic, non-programmable scientific calculators started becoming
available for prices less than $30, then indeed it no longer made sense to buy a
new slide rule.

The HP 41CX, however, came out much later than that, and was quite expensive - it
was a programmable calculator which could also display words, as it used a 14-segment
liquid crystal display while still having a LED calculator form factor instead of being
completely flat like typical LED calculators. It came out too late, and was too expensive,
to have had any effect whatever on the fate of the slide rule!

John Savard

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#214571

On Friday, September 25, 2020 at 9:23:40 PM UTC-6, Quadibloc wrote:
> I was doing a web search for material related to the Curta calculators, and 
> I found that there are two fan sites on the web by individual Curta collectors, one in Armenia. 
> 
> https://www.jaapsch.net/mechcalc/curta.htm 
http://www.curta.com.ar/curta/code/home.html

...oops, I meant to give links for _both_ of them.

John Savard

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#214593

Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> writes:



>It certainly is true that pocket calculators made the slide rule obsolete. After the
>HP 35 scientific calculator came out, the writing was on the wall for the slide
>rule - and when basic, non-programmable scientific calculators started becoming
>available for prices less than $30, then indeed it no longer made sense to buy a
>new slide rule.

>The HP 41CX, however, came out much later than that, and was quite expensive - it
>was a programmable calculator which could also display words, as it used a 14-segment
>liquid crystal display while still having a LED calculator form factor instead of being
>completely flat like typical LED calculators. It came out too late, and was too expensive,
>to have had any effect whatever on the fate of the slide rule!

I own both a HP35 and a 41CV and 41CX. Great meachines.


-- 
A host is a host from coast to coast.................wb8foz@nrk.com
& no one will talk to a host that's close..........................
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

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#214449

On 2020-09-20, Jason Evans <jsevans@mailfence.com> wrote:
>
> If we're going to talk about really retro tech like pencils, why hasn't 
> anyone come out with a reproduction Curta calculator? You can buy plans 
> to build your own with 3d printed parts, but nothing really substantial. 
> I can imaging that they would sell even if the relatively price is high 
> and available in small batches and the patent must have run out on them 
> years ago. People are paying $2000+ for them on ebay so I don't see how 
> they wouldn't be profitable.
>
> For those who don't know what this is: 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta
>
>
Curta's are cute, but had a sorta bad reputation, having been made
by slave labour in the early days. I have enough old tackle resuing in 
drawers.

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#214452

On Monday, September 21, 2020 at 2:34:25 AM UTC-6, maus wrote:

> Curta's are cute, but had a sorta bad reputation, having been made 
> by slave labour in the early days. I have enough old tackle resuing in 
> drawers.

Huh?

Curtas weren't made until after the war, and their inventor was a Holocaust survivor.

Unless you mean slave labor under Communist regimes in Eastern Europe?

John Savard

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#214481

On 2020-09-21, Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> wrote:
> On Monday, September 21, 2020 at 2:34:25 AM UTC-6, maus wrote:
>
>> Curta's are cute, but had a sorta bad reputation, having been made 
>> by slave labour in the early days. I have enough old tackle resuing in 
>> drawers.
>
> Huh?
>
> Curtas weren't made until after the war, and their inventor was a Holocaust survivor.
>
> Unless you mean slave labor under Communist regimes in Eastern Europe?
>
> John Savard
>

From someone telling me years ago, maybe incorrecty, that first ones
were made in the German camps,

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#214453

On 2020-09-21, maus <maus@dmaus.org> wrote:
> Curta's are cute, but had a sorta bad reputation, having been made
> by slave labour in the early days. I have enough old tackle resuing in 
> drawers.

From looking at Wikipedia's pictures, it actually looks like something
designed just recently. Not really in line with what I imagined the
fashion of the time being.

Now I'm tempted to get one. (Though I probably would have been even if
it did look like an artifact from the mid-20th century.)

Niklas
-- 
The bloody handle on the back of an E450 isn't until you try to use it as
such, then it becomes less of a handle and more bloody.
                       -- Gary Barnes in asr

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#214465

On 21 Sep 2020 08:34:22 GMT, maus <maus@dmaus.org> wrote:

>On 2020-09-20, Jason Evans <jsevans@mailfence.com> wrote:
>>
>> If we're going to talk about really retro tech like pencils, why hasn't 
>> anyone come out with a reproduction Curta calculator? You can buy plans 
>> to build your own with 3d printed parts, but nothing really substantial. 
>> I can imaging that they would sell even if the relatively price is high 
>> and available in small batches and the patent must have run out on them 
>> years ago. People are paying $2000+ for them on ebay so I don't see how 
>> they wouldn't be profitable.
>>
>> For those who don't know what this is: 
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta
>>
>>
>Curta's are cute, but had a sorta bad reputation, having been made
>by slave labour in the early days. I have enough old tackle resuing in 
>drawers.

I was not aware that prisoners at Buchenwald had access to slave
labor.  Tell us more.

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#214466

On 21 Sep 2020 at 18:28:24 BST, "J. Clarke" <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> wrote:

> On 21 Sep 2020 08:34:22 GMT, maus <maus@dmaus.org> wrote:
> 
>> On 2020-09-20, Jason Evans <jsevans@mailfence.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>  If we're going to talk about really retro tech like pencils, why hasn't 
>>>  anyone come out with a reproduction Curta calculator? You can buy plans 
>>>  to build your own with 3d printed parts, but nothing really substantial. 
>>>  I can imaging that they would sell even if the relatively price is high 
>>>  and available in small batches and the patent must have run out on them 
>>>  years ago. People are paying $2000+ for them on ebay so I don't see how 
>>>  they wouldn't be profitable.
>>> 
>>>  For those who don't know what this is: 
>>>  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta
>>> 
>>> 
>> Curta's are cute, but had a sorta bad reputation, having been made
>> by slave labour in the early days. I have enough old tackle resuing in 
>> drawers.
> 
> I was not aware that prisoners at Buchenwald had access to slave
> labor.  Tell us more.

The explanation is in the link to the Wikipedia article you snipped
_________________________
While I was imprisoned inside Buchenwald I had, after a few days, told the
[people] in the work production scheduling department of my ideas. The head of
the department, Mr. Munich said, 'See, Herzstark, I understand you've been
working on a new thing, a small calculating machine. Do you know, I can give
you a tip. We will allow you to make and draw everything. If it is really
worth something, then we will give it to the Führer as a present after we win
the war. Then, surely, you will be made an Aryan.' For me, that was the first
time I thought to myself, my God, if you do this, you can extend your life.
And then and there I started to draw the CURTA, the way I had imagined it.
__________________________
The snipped link
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta
-- 
To de-mung my e-mail address:- fsnospam$elliott$$
PGP Fingerprint: 1A96 3CF7 637F 896B C810  E199 7E5C A9E4 8E59 E248

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#214468

Elliott Roper <nospam@yrl.co.uk> writes:

> On 21 Sep 2020 at 18:28:24 BST, "J. Clarke" <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 21 Sep 2020 08:34:22 GMT, maus <maus@dmaus.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> On 2020-09-20, Jason Evans <jsevans@mailfence.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>  If we're going to talk about really retro tech like pencils, why hasn't 
>>>>  anyone come out with a reproduction Curta calculator? You can buy plans 
>>>>  to build your own with 3d printed parts, but nothing really substantial. 
>>>>  I can imaging that they would sell even if the relatively price is high 
>>>>  and available in small batches and the patent must have run out on them 
>>>>  years ago. People are paying $2000+ for them on ebay so I don't see how 
>>>>  they wouldn't be profitable.
>>>> 
>>>>  For those who don't know what this is: 
>>>>  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> Curta's are cute, but had a sorta bad reputation, having been made
>>> by slave labour in the early days. I have enough old tackle resuing in 
>>> drawers.
>> 
>> I was not aware that prisoners at Buchenwald had access to slave
>> labor.  Tell us more.
>
> The explanation is in the link to the Wikipedia article you snipped
> _________________________
> While I was imprisoned inside Buchenwald I had, after a few days, told the
> [people] in the work production scheduling department of my ideas. The head of
> the department, Mr. Munich said, 'See, Herzstark, I understand you've been
> working on a new thing, a small calculating machine. Do you know, I can give
> you a tip. We will allow you to make and draw everything. If it is really
> worth something, then we will give it to the Führer as a present after we win
> the war. Then, surely, you will be made an Aryan.' For me, that was the first
> time I thought to myself, my God, if you do this, you can extend your life.
> And then and there I started to draw the CURTA, the way I had imagined it.
> __________________________
> The snipped link
>  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta

So the actual inventor was slave labor when he developed it, and then of
course profited from it when it actually went into production after the
war.  Sounds to me like that would give it an extra good reputation...

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#214470

On 21/09/2020 21.53, Joe Pfeiffer wrote:
> Elliott Roper <nospam@yrl.co.uk> writes:
>> On 21 Sep 2020 at 18:28:24 BST, "J. Clarke" <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 21 Sep 2020 08:34:22 GMT, maus <maus@dmaus.org> wrote:
>>>> On 2020-09-20, Jason Evans <jsevans@mailfence.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>   If we're going to talk about really retro tech like pencils, why hasn't
>>>>>   anyone come out with a reproduction Curta calculator? You can buy plans
>>>>>   to build your own with 3d printed parts, but nothing really substantial.
>>>>>   I can imaging that they would sell even if the relatively price is high
>>>>>   and available in small batches and the patent must have run out on them
>>>>>   years ago. People are paying $2000+ for them on ebay so I don't see how
>>>>>   they wouldn't be profitable.
>>>>>
>>>>>   For those who don't know what this is:
>>>>>   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Curta's are cute, but had a sorta bad reputation, having been made
>>>> by slave labour in the early days. I have enough old tackle resuing in
>>>> drawers.
>>>
>>> I was not aware that prisoners at Buchenwald had access to slave
>>> labor.  Tell us more.
>>
>> The explanation is in the link to the Wikipedia article you snipped
>> _________________________
>> While I was imprisoned inside Buchenwald I had, after a few days, told the
>> [people] in the work production scheduling department of my ideas. The head of
>> the department, Mr. Munich said, 'See, Herzstark, I understand you've been
>> working on a new thing, a small calculating machine. Do you know, I can give
>> you a tip. We will allow you to make and draw everything. If it is really
>> worth something, then we will give it to the Führer as a present after we win
>> the war. Then, surely, you will be made an Aryan.' For me, that was the first
>> time I thought to myself, my God, if you do this, you can extend your life.
>> And then and there I started to draw the CURTA, the way I had imagined it.
>> __________________________
>> The snipped link
>>   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta

I don't see what the issue is. He saw a way to survive and took it. The 
slave labour was the inventor himself, and the manufacturing happened 
after the war... The slavers did not benefit.

> So the actual inventor was slave labor when he developed it, and then of
> course profited from it when it actually went into production after the
> war.  Sounds to me like that would give it an extra good reputation...

Indeed.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.

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#214473

On Mon, 21 Sep 2020 19:00:56 GMT, Elliott Roper <nospam@yrl.co.uk>
wrote:

>On 21 Sep 2020 at 18:28:24 BST, "J. Clarke" <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 21 Sep 2020 08:34:22 GMT, maus <maus@dmaus.org> wrote:
>> 
>>> On 2020-09-20, Jason Evans <jsevans@mailfence.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>  If we're going to talk about really retro tech like pencils, why hasn't 
>>>>  anyone come out with a reproduction Curta calculator? You can buy plans 
>>>>  to build your own with 3d printed parts, but nothing really substantial. 
>>>>  I can imaging that they would sell even if the relatively price is high 
>>>>  and available in small batches and the patent must have run out on them 
>>>>  years ago. People are paying $2000+ for them on ebay so I don't see how 
>>>>  they wouldn't be profitable.
>>>> 
>>>>  For those who don't know what this is: 
>>>>  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> Curta's are cute, but had a sorta bad reputation, having been made
>>> by slave labour in the early days. I have enough old tackle resuing in 
>>> drawers.
>> 
>> I was not aware that prisoners at Buchenwald had access to slave
>> labor.  Tell us more.
>
>The explanation is in the link to the Wikipedia article you snipped
>_________________________
>While I was imprisoned inside Buchenwald I had, after a few days, told the
>[people] in the work production scheduling department of my ideas. The head of
>the department, Mr. Munich said, 'See, Herzstark, I understand you've been
>working on a new thing, a small calculating machine. Do you know, I can give
>you a tip. We will allow you to make and draw everything. If it is really
>worth something, then we will give it to the Führer as a present after we win
>the war. Then, surely, you will be made an Aryan.' For me, that was the first
>time I thought to myself, my God, if you do this, you can extend your life.
>And then and there I started to draw the CURTA, the way I had imagined it.
>__________________________
>The snipped link
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta

There is no "snipped link".  And all that you have done with your
quotation is show that the person who invented it and started the
company that produced it was at one time _himself_ slave labor.  

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#214475

On 21 Sep 2020 at 23:17:24 BST, "J. Clarke" <jclarke.873638@gmail.com> wrote:

> There is no "snipped link".  And all that you have done with your
> quotation is show that the person who invented it and started the
> company that produced it was at one time _himself_ slave labor.


Sorry about the not-snipped link.

I'm as guilty as you are for not reading carefully.
I was responding to your "tell us more" about the slave labour.

From the linked article, one reads that Curt Herzstark had the choice of being
creative with his captors or being gassed. A shrewd cookie and master
negotiator, but not an employer of slave labour.

An earlier paragraph in the same article might leave open the possibility that
the Nazis used slave labour at his factory between 1938 and 1943 when they
forced him to stop work on the calculator to work on precision instruments for
their army. It reads as though he and his workforce were given the same
'encouragement' as he was later offered in Buchenwald. But to be pedantic,
that was explicitly not for building  calculators.
-- 
To de-mung my e-mail address:- fsnospam$elliott$$
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