Re: NCEES new "approved calculator" list Message #3 Posted by Ron Ross on 18 Nov 2004, 8:26 a.m., in response to message #2 by Tom (UK)
Years ago the NCEES was to certify the compentency of practicing engineers and to maintain that level regardless of whether the individual graduated from a presitigous school or what not. Nothing mattered except solid recommendations and how well you did on the exam.
As better tools became available the tests also made use of the extra power you were able to carry into the exam (as well as your references).
Today however the NCEES has evolved into a REAL business to large for the engineering core to really manage. And this core has been diluted by a more reasonable (actually less reasonable, but I am speaking about business policies) business management bunch.
And this bunch hires or provides one or two real professionals whose job is to oversee 10 part-time proctors (exam monitors) to administer the exam. These 10 people have NO idea or clue about what they are looking at. So to make it fair for all (remember, business fair and implementation), they list what is on the retail shelf today that is not a graphics or any out of date RPN or any other old POS. That way the procter can examine from a short list (the shorter the better) and judge whether the examinee is using an APPROVED calculator. Simple and easy.
And that is the easy way out. The calculators on the shelf today for $10-20 are supposed to be powerful enough for their exam. Good luck trying to argue otherwise.
I am hoping to be able to take the next exam. I am and will be ticked off their policies, but I am planning to work around any obsticales that are put between me and passing. I would prefer an Hp48G (which I used to pass my EIT). I would even prefer to use my Hp42s+ more than the 48G, but without real I/O it is always risky to bank on the memory with no fast restore or backup (for units conversions as I really like the units conversions of the 48G, but otherwise, I prefer the 42s). And that is not allowed either.
I have been using my Hp32sii quite a bit as I prefer the older keyboard layout and didn't want to buy another new Hp so quickly (I have the 49G+, actually my second).
Once you are used to a 42s and its extra features (and especially how well it handles matrices and complex numbers), it is tough to settle for an Hp32sii (or Hp33s).
But it is just another challenge. Of course, if I fail by even a single measely 1% point (and especially if I fail by 1%), I will have a different view.
Rant off.
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