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Comment by pavel_lishin | Hacker News Reader

> "What is x + y?" which could be easily done faster on a desk calculator.

Yes, assuming you're already sitting at your desk, with your desk calculator in hand.

Also, this might be a generational gap issue here, but desk calculator? Not smartphone? (And if I'm at my desk, my goto is usually "ipython<ENTER>x+y<ENTER>" anyway.)

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Okay, sorry man. Due to me being a huge computer geek, I refer to most calculators as. "desk calculators," due to my experience with old technology and Unix software. Let's just say that I am part of the earliest Gen Z's. (I came from a second world country, so, maybe that's why I have more experience with older tech.)

Sorry, my point wasn't to call you out - but it's unequivocally faster to call out "Hey Dingbat, what's 7 + 17" than it is to pull out a device, unless that device is already unlocked and in your hand.

(Also, howdy fellow second-world country person! Pretty nice to meet someone who knows the term :P)

That's quite untrue for more complex examples of 7 + 17.

"Hey Dingbat, what's 10 percent of 50 times 33 times 125. Oh sorry, 10 percent of open parentheses 50 times 33 times 125 close parentheses".

Even just talking it is substantially slower than typing the number into a calculator. App, desktop, or phone.

Especially when there are parenthesis. And when you are in the kitchen, well... it is loud. Accents mess the voice recognition + the sound of the kitchen.

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