Diskussion:Small Adders Part 2

Please change

Calculator (Pangborn - same as Bonham and Schram)

\[\[Calculator (Scheibenaddierer|Calculator]] and Pangborn (same as Bonham and Schram)

references can be found in Martin (English edition) p. 200.

For Lightning you can link to \[\[Lightning Material]] page.

Celli 12:56, 29. Gen 2008 (GMT)

Hello Bob.

Great job. I like your idea of a such a taxonomy.

May I suggest a few changes in it ?

First issue.

I would personnaly introduce a clear distiction between "instruments" and "machines".

In my mind, an "instrument" is just a help, a passive tool, because human must still take care of some smart operation such as reading a scale, complementing a number (see second issue below) or operating some carry over to get the exact result.
A "machine" takes care of the complete process. Human inputs figures, selects operation, and may or may not supply some actuation energy, machine gives exact result.

So, in your taxonomy, I would divide the small adders into two major families : those with automatic carry (they are machines), and those without (they are just instruments).

example : kummer is an "instrument", as long as the human has to make some specific action to achieve carry over.
addix (adix) is a machine (sorry to say that !!!) : human only inputs figures, one at a time, and machine gives exact result, without any further human processing (except for clearing !).

Second issue is subtraction.

Should we make a difference between direct and complement subtraction ? Yes.

In other words, I think that any row adding machine can perform complement subtraction, even if complement figures are not specifically stamped on the machine by the manufacturer (say "The Lightning" for instance).
Does that means that your category 2.1.1.3.1 - No Clearing Mechanism, No Subtraction is incorect ? Should it read No direct subtraction ?
- Should we make a distinction between machines that clearly state complement subtraction capability (such as the Pascaline, with its dual windows, or some Comptators with an ingraving on the side of the sliders, or the Comptometers, with a small figure on each key)and those which can do it but don't advertise it ?
- Coming back to my first issue, complement subtraction necessitates a very smart operation from the operator. It is not just inputing figures. So many "machines" become only "instruments" when it comes to complement subtraction. This point has never been addressed in the litterature, I think. It is interesting to note the time spent in educating Comptometer operators for the subtraction.
On the contrary, machines that can perform direct subtraction are much more efficient as they drastically reduce the risk of human error.

What do you think of the idea of systematically introduce the term "direct subtraction" when it applies ?

Only a very small number of instruments or machines cannot perform subtraction : probably only your category 1.(Column adders).

Hope that helps. Regards. Michel Bardel

"SHOP-N-ADD" ist ein kleiner Addierer aus Metall mit 3 Scheiben. Die Betätigung erfolgt mit einem Stift. Anzeige jeweils in runden Fenstern rechts über der zugehörigen Scheibe: DOLLARS / DIMES / CENTS
F. Diestelkamp 20:45, 19. Sep 2013 (CEST)

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Diskussion:Small Adders Part 2