IBM 610 workstation computer 3365

Kevin G. Rhoads

It's hard for me to picture a use for a slide rule that is superior to a sophisticated calculator, unless the slide rule has a function the calculator doesn't have. Slide rules, even simple cheap ones, have an amazing degree of function to them. The center stick is reversible.

I'm mixed on fountain pens. I like them too because their image is much clearer than a ballpoint, which is good for photocopying and faxing. However, they won't make a good carbon copy. My biggest complaint is leakage. A second complaint is limited ink supply. Cartridges are easy but expensive. "Converters" to draw ink out of a bottle don't seem to hold much ink and are messy to use. People who grew up using fountain pens do not miss them because of that.

Foutain pen ink can fade more quickly than ball point, although depending on pen quality both can fade. I did a test writing stuff and putting it in the window. Blue fountain ink faded quickly. Cheap ballpoints (I mean very cheap, such as promotional pens) faded badly. Basic pens like Bics and PaperMates did ok. Cross pens lasted well.

I have a loyalty to the typewriter, but even there utility is very limited. Ribbons need to be changed whether you use the typewriter or not. SCM electric portable (easy to find) don't look that great. An IBM makes a nice image.