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OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #1 Posted by Matt Agajanian on 2 Sept 2013, 12:18 a.m.

Hello all. After watching 'The Big Bang Theory' a few times, less than ten , I would think that HP calculators or RPN would get a mention. So, have there been lines spoken in the series which give HP or RPN a mention?

      
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #2 Posted by Fred Lusk on 2 Sept 2013, 1:06 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Matt Agajanian

Matt…

I have the first four seasons of BBT on DVD and have watched them several times each. I don't recall any reference to HP or RPN or RPL, though I am certainly willing to be corrected.

At the very least, Howard (the engineer) should be familiar with RPL, given his apparent age.

            
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #3 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 2 Sept 2013, 1:53 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Fred Lusk

Quote:
At the very least, Howard (the engineer) should be familiar with RPL, given his apparent age.

I think that he's supposed to be about 30 now. That would place him well after the heyday of HP calculators in his work or in school. While they often make reference to vintage technology (video games) and vintage collectables (Star Trek stuff) I don't think that HP calculators are something that too many of the general population can relate to.

On the other hand, they do a lot with product placement in that show and if HP were to be a sponsor they might be able to work something about their calculators in there!

Edited: 2 Sept 2013, 1:54 a.m.

                  
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #4 Posted by Massimo Gnerucci (Italy) on 2 Sept 2013, 3:00 a.m.,
in response to message #3 by Katie Wasserman

Some of them are on the dark side :(

Massimo

                        
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #5 Posted by Jim Johnson on 2 Sept 2013, 7:40 a.m.,
in response to message #4 by Massimo Gnerucci (Italy)

LOL. Nice link, Massimo. I'd forgotten that Mayim Bialik did a pitch for the evil competitor.

                              
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #6 Posted by Namir on 2 Sept 2013, 9:22 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Jim Johnson

I attended NCTM conference in Denver last April (which is where HP first showed the HP Prime). Myiam was the keynote speaker.

Namir

                              
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #7 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 3 Sept 2013, 7:03 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by Jim Johnson

Quote:
I'd forgotten that Mayim Bialik did a pitch for the evil competitor.

Now I finally understand why she got so disappointed at the mention of Hewlett's and Packard's names :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjvT-RhVidU

                        
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' - LOYAL USER OF ENTER KEYS!
Message #8 Posted by Joerg Woerner on 2 Sept 2013, 6:10 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by Massimo Gnerucci (Italy)

Hi there,

I talked last year to Mayim and can assure you that she is a very loyal user of the magic ENTER-key for more than 20 years.

Proof included.

Cheers,

Joerg

                              
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' - LOYAL USER OF ENTER KEYS!
Message #9 Posted by Namir on 3 Sept 2013, 12:00 a.m.,
in response to message #8 by Joerg Woerner

I remember you posted a video of meeting her at your TI calculator table.

                                    
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' - LOYAL USER OF ENTER KEYS!
Message #10 Posted by Joerg Woerner on 3 Sept 2013, 9:11 p.m.,
in response to message #9 by Namir

Yep, and she signed my TI-81 - should be worth a zillion in a few years.

Take care, Joerg

                              
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' - LOYAL USER OF ENTER KEYS!
Message #11 Posted by Eddie W. Shore on 4 Sept 2013, 9:35 a.m.,
in response to message #8 by Joerg Woerner

Nice! :)

                              
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' - LOYAL USER OF ENTER KEYS!
Message #12 Posted by Adrien Bertrand on 5 Sept 2013, 8:25 a.m.,
in response to message #8 by Joerg Woerner

Ah ! I remember I was there :)

Here's another (blurry... :( ) proof some seconds before or after :P

( source with some more photos : http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?album_id=60&image_id=544 )

                  
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #13 Posted by Fred Lusk on 2 Sept 2013, 12:44 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Katie Wasserman

True, but…

A couple times a year, I find myself wandering through the engineering department at my alma mater and I often see students using the latest graphing calcs, including some HP-50G's. While Howard missed the glory days of HP, RPN/RPL shouldn't be foreign to him.

Here's an interesting thought: how often would an imaginary mechanical engineer use imaginary numbers? :-)

                        
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #14 Posted by Matt Agajanian on 2 Sept 2013, 3:24 p.m.,
in response to message #13 by Fred Lusk

Hmmm? Intetesting thought

                        
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #15 Posted by Dale Reed on 2 Sept 2013, 5:29 p.m.,
in response to message #13 by Fred Lusk

It all depends on what form the 'use' operator takes. If it's an addition operator, then you'll get:

    how_often = i+i = 2i
so it only happens in his imagination.

If it's a multiplication operator, then you'll get:

    how_often = i*i = -1
so it happens less than not at all.

If it's a power function, then you'll get:

    how_often = i**i = 0.207879576...
so it really happens, about 20% of the time.

When I found out that

i**i
is a real number (a set of real numbers, actually!), I was impressed, but not as impressed as I was when I found out that
e**(i*pi)+1=0
Complex numbers may or may not be "fun" but they sure are "neat"!

Dale

Edited: 2 Sept 2013, 5:34 p.m.

            
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #16 Posted by BruceH on 3 Sept 2013, 4:33 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Fred Lusk

SCENE: Sheldon is walking backwards along a corridor,
       against the flow of people coming the other way.
       He is prominently holding an HP calculator in
       front of him in one hand, whilst entering numbers
       with the other. People are constantly bumping
       into him as they try to avoid him.

SHELDON: (as each person bumps into him) I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Leonard sees this from the start of the corridor and pushes through the on-coming people to catch-up with Sheldon.

LEONARD: (exasperatedly) Sheldon! What are you doing?

SHELDON: I'm using my calculator, of course.

LEONARD: (patiently) Yes, I *know* you're using your calculator. Why are you walking backwards along the corridor?

SHELDON: (condescendingly) Isn't it obvious, Leonard? It's an HP-41 which uses reverse Polish notation. Ergo I should be going in reverse when using it.

LEONARD: Isn't that just taking things a little too far? Why can't you use it but walk forwards?

SHELDON: But then it would be just Polish notation and the answers would be wrong.

                  
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #17 Posted by Matt Agajanian on 3 Sept 2013, 5:19 p.m.,
in response to message #16 by BruceH

Was this from an actual episode?

                        
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #18 Posted by Matt Kernal on 4 Sept 2013, 12:45 a.m.,
in response to message #17 by Matt Agajanian

It seems your gullibility quotient is working at peak performance today. ;-)

I do have to admit.. Bruce, you nailed it! :-)

      
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #19 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 3 Sept 2013, 6:29 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Matt Agajanian

Quote:
So, have there been lines spoken in the series which give HP or RPN a mention?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUHmbqWsXuo

            
Re: OT--'The Big Bang Theory' and RPN/HP--Any connections?
Message #20 Posted by Adrien Bertrand on 5 Sept 2013, 8:27 a.m.,
in response to message #19 by Gerson W. Barbosa

Haha nice ;)


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