-----------Original message: Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:45:23 -0600 From: woodelf <bfranchuk at jetnet.ab.ca> Subject: Re: Octal That's a pretty sweeping statement; their keyboard and display are as good as the one you use every day, cut and paste is often handy for avoiding entry errors and you don't have another item on your (non-virtual) desktop; best of all, if you don't like anything out there you could presumably create your own. I am curious: what exactly is it that you don't like about them? I'm obviously less demanding; I'm quite happy with my $1.00 calculator: nice large LCD display, full size keys and solar-powered. Cheaply made, true, but that's why it cost $1.00, and it's served me well for 3 or 4 years; if it dies I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and spend another $1.00. I for one am amazed and delighted that calculators, computers etc. can be manufactured as cheaply as they are while in general being much more efficient/useful/powerful and just as reliable (or more so) than the products of yore, which would presumably cost several orders of magnitude more if manufactured the same way today and be completely out of my reach pricewise. mike