HP Forum Archive 16

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Hmm... $9.95 for calc, $625 for shipping? :-) Message #1 Posted by Gene Wright on 15 July 2006, 9:29 a.m. http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Rockwell-Red-Led-21-R-Calculator-NR_W0QQitemZ330007913379QQihZ014QQcategoryZ58042QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Seems a bit high. I think the seller has a couple with shipping costs like that.

Re: Hmm... $9.95 for calc, $625 for shipping? :-) Message #2 Posted by Vassilis Prevelakis on 15 July 2006, 10:46 a.m., in response to message #1 by Gene Wright If it weren't such a horrible calculator, I'd buy it and then complain to eBay about the excessive postage charges. Also they ship internationally, so you can buy it for 9.95 and then ask that it is shipped to (say) Canada, then you will not be bound by the US shipping rate. Nevertheless, I wouldn't pay even 9.95 for this thing. **vp PS having looked at oldham2jus's feedback, I am inclined to think its a typo, you wouldn't get a 99.2% on more than 500 sales if you engaged in this kind of scam (and it *is* a scam, against eBay at the very least).

Re: Hmm... $9.95 for calc, $625 for shipping? :-) Message #3 Posted by Karl Schneider on 15 July 2006, 11:55 a.m., in response to message #2 by Vassilis Prevelakis Quote: If it weren't such a horrible calculator, I'd buy it and then complain to eBay about the excessive postage charges. Not "postage", but "shipping." I, and others here, sent multiple messages about an HP-41CX auction that demanded US$300 shipping, well prior to the end of the auction. eBay took no pre-emptive action, and the calc sold for $81. It seemed to me like a clear-cut violation of their policies against Fee Avoidance, by reason of excessive shipping and handling charges. As the old saying goes, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." Quote: Nevertheless, I wouldn't pay even 9.95 for this thing. I paid $5 with no shipping at a thrift shop for a similar Rockwell 18R, mainly as a "curio". It provides an example of some of the many mediocre-but-affordable calculators available in the early 1970's from companies that no longer participate in that market (or no longer exist). It works fine for what it does -- arithmetic and percent -- and it uses disposable 9V batteries. There is also an AC input. Some other "cheapies" of the era didn't even have floating decimal point. The user had to keep track of magnitude, slide-rule style. Some even had paper labels on the keys. Rockwell was and is a major aerospace corporation, so they were obliged to produce a competent product... -- KS

Re: Hmm... $9.95 for calc, $625 for shipping? :-) Message #4 Posted by Palmer O. Hanson, Jr. on 15 July 2006, 5:51 p.m., in response to message #3 by Karl Schneider A collector who wants to have examples of various stages in the development of calculators in his collection probably wants a Rockwell 21R because it had the negative sign to the right of the number rather than to the left. That was also true of many of the early Sharps. An even more unique way of handling the sign was used in the Rockwell 24RD which used a single red LED in the upper right hand corner of the calculator outside the numerical display area. As I noted in a previous thread the 24D is also an example of early soldering problems. Other examples of problems in development which I have in my collection are: * A TI-55II with the world's worst keyboard and the replacement TI-55III which fixed the keyboard but too late to salvage the reputation of the class of devices. * One of Spice calculators which demonstrates the wonders of HP's solderless technology. If it doesn't work properly at turn-on, just twist the case a little and it will cure itself! * One of the early 41C's which has the gold balls intact and has two of the glitches. * An NSC 600 and a NOVUS 650 which operate with integers only so that the user had to keep track of the position of the decimal point.

Re: Hmm... $9.95 for calc, $625 for shipping? :-) Message #5 Posted by Pierre L'Allier on 15 July 2006, 2:27 p.m., in response to message #1 by Gene Wright I would like to suggest that the shipping cost was probably a typo; indeed, this particular item now shows $6.25, although the seller does have one more calculator at $625 shipping cost. Pierre

Typo! :-) Message #6 Posted by Gene Wright on 15 July 2006, 2:35 p.m., in response to message #5 by Pierre L'Allier Perhaps one of those early calculators without a decimal point was being used. :-)

Re: Typo! :-) Message #7 Posted by Dick Lawrence on 15 July 2006, 5:55 p.m., in response to message #6 by Gene Wright http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/hpmuseum/forum.cgi?read=96173#96173 All items sold by oldham2jus with shipping costs of $625.00 include personal delivery withing the US and when delivered I will buy you lunch. Sometimes Turbo lister on e-bay will miss the point. When it does this and I miss it too it provides fodder for many people with time on their hands to have some fun. Still waiting for takers on my lunch offer. Should also add that if you don't like the calculator your purchase price will be refunded however the delivery and handling cannot be.

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