What Hobby Qualifies You As a Nerd

Tinkaroo · Post by **Tinkaroo** » 14 Oct 2016 23:29

I bought a Canon LCD calculator today which was made in 1979. I also own some earlier LED and VFD types, probably a dozen or so. I really like some of the ones made between 1972-80. The quality of them was a lot better than what is made today and they were technological marvels for their time.

Canon LC-81M.JPG: (335.36 KiB) Downloaded 1199 times

I also seem to have about eight clock radios including a flip clock.

I think I've established my credentials. :)

What so you collect or what hobby do you do that some might think qualifies you as a nerd?

romanose · Post by **romanose** » 15 Oct 2016 00:50

Atlas_of_Stars_2006_JPG.jpg: (588.49 KiB) Downloaded 1194 times

A subscription to this. http://www.astronomy.com/ .

Kyluckyman · Post by **Kyluckyman** » 15 Oct 2016 01:16

I collect early United States stamps...and look at the stars and planets from time to time.

MonkeyBoy · Post by **MonkeyBoy** » 15 Oct 2016 02:50

I like theoretical physics and cosmology. I tend to bore those around me if I bring it up.

Lazarus Short · Post by **Lazarus Short** » 16 Oct 2016 15:32

I have collected a couple of bushels of vintage calculators, including the Sharp EL-8, the world's first handheld. I also collect slide rules and mechanical calculators.

ginniegatrit · Post by **ginniegatrit** » 16 Oct 2016 16:13

MonkeyBoy wrote:I like theoretical physics and cosmology. I tend to bore those around me if I bring it up.

:D
I try so hard to understand quantum physics and I sort of get the gist of it but ultimately I have more questions than answers.
Sheesh, even ordinary mechanical physics leaves me shaking my head in puzzlement. For instance for the life of me I don't understand how sound waves produce such a distinct variety of sounds. I mean really happen. And frequencies too...
And I've got lots of books on these subjects and try to re-read them but I'm still baffled.
MonkeyBOy maybe if you start a thread I can get you to answer my questions... :D :D

lini · Post by **lini** » 17 Oct 2016 01:35

Tink: Thanks for the reminder. Haven't check my good, old Casio FX-100 College for a while, so it was about time again. And, yup, it still works. Which as such might not be much of a miracle yet. Whereas what I really find pretty miraculous is that it still works with its original pair of Casio labelled AA batteries from ~ 1983. 33 years and counting - not bad... Whereas my FX-4000P and FX-5500LA also still work, but have already required quite a few new 2032 cells in the meantime.

Oh, and I'm not a nerd. I'm a geek. ;)

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

vinyl master · Post by **vinyl master** » 17 Oct 2016 01:59

OK then, I also collect stamps and model trains, but I've also collected early video game consoles and cartridges like the following pieces of equipment...

I have one of these Odyssey 2's with all the works, plus about 20-30 games...

I also have one of these...

XBox? Play Station? Turbo Grafx? Sega? Nintendo? Commodore 64? Even Atari???

No, you have to go back MUCH further! :lol:

Oddly enough, I also have a small collection of postcards and snow globes, gotten from my various travels over the years (and from others)...

fscl · Post by **fscl** » 17 Oct 2016 04:53

Heck, calculators...... :lol: :lol:

How about a slide rule or 2 just to remind myself how "good"? things are now ? :-k :-k One thing for sure, no batteries required..... :lol:

Yep, got an assortment of calculators acquired through my working / calculating years. Now, got apps on the phone that simulate the experience..... :shock:

Hobby ? How about the hobby of keeping things going ? and squeezing the last drop of functionality out of them...... :-k :-k :-k It's just too easy to buy and discard ? :-k :-k :-k

Fred

ammarmariti · Post by **ammarmariti** » 17 Oct 2016 08:18

I don't have a nerdy hobby, but I do look like one when I go out wearing bathroom sandals, slacks, and old tshirts while walking around in Ace Hardware and Radioshack.

Also my friends think I'm boring when I bring up amplifiers and DACs and headphones when they talk. Loud cricket sounds... loud.. cricket sounds...

RockerFrank · Post by **RockerFrank** » 17 Oct 2016 18:49

I'm afraid I don't qualify either. I can barely use a computer. I don't understand a thing about physics. No scientific interests. Actually I don't even believe in science. I like stars but don't know their names. Didn't like Star Wars nor Lord of the Rings (saw all three because of my then girlfriend). I've caught the occasional Star Trek episode but preferred the 90s Voyager episodes to the original series. Oh yeah, I did enjoy the X-files! That's nerdy enough, right?

romanose · Post by **romanose** » 17 Oct 2016 20:24

If you can quote McBeth in Klingon, you just may be a nerd.

Kyluckyman · Post by **Kyluckyman** » 17 Oct 2016 20:51

Lazarus Short wrote:I have collected a couple of bushels of vintage calculators, including the Sharp EL-8, the world's first handheld. I also collect slide rules and mechanical calculators.

I would definitely consider a person collecting slide rules a nerd. A person with a pocket protector is also likely to be a nerd.

I have neither slide rules or pocket protectors.

RockerFrank · Post by **RockerFrank** » 18 Oct 2016 06:39

romanose wrote:If you can quote McBeth in Klingon, you just may be a nerd.

Can't say I can, no. Actually my favourite TV show is Dallas.

Tinkaroo · Post by **Tinkaroo** » 18 Oct 2016 11:13

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This is an album cover on one of my Hollies albums.

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This is one of my calculators the Sperry Remington SSR-8 which is actually a Casio FX-10 that was rebranded with different buttons from the Casio version. It has a VFD display and had an MSRP of $99.95 in 1974. Built in Japan it was the first of a long line of successful scientific calculators put out by Casio. Pretty nice styling which makes it stand out. 8)

It also makes a great paperweight too! :lol:

What Hobby Qualifies You As a Nerd

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