HP Biographies

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Full Name (family, given): Smith, Bill
Account Name: Bill Smith
Contact: Bill Smith
Location: Bend, Oregon
Entered: 2 Apr 2007, 8:58 p.m.

My interest in HP calculators began in 1977, when I was freshman at Oregon State University in Corvallis. Naturally, HP was a large presence in the community and on campus. While shopping for my first calculator, the HP-25 caught my fancy, and I just had to have one.

It can honestly be said that certain folks, myself included, would not have become engineers without HP. While I started college as a forestry major, I switched to engineering almost purely because I enjoyed solving problems with the HP. I traded up to a 34C, mostly for the continuous memory, and finally graduated with a 15C. After starting work, I acquired a 41CV, which was really my PC for years. The 15C remains my favorite, and I replaced it once after my first one got so dirty the keys just about didn't work.

Collecting has focused on the peripherals for the 41 series, which could never be justified for my work. Mostly, I have found good deals, used the item for a while, and sold it to acquire something else. This keeps the collection manageabley small. I also have a couple calcs people have given me.

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