January 31, 2026
Clicky keys vs glass screens: FIGHT!
Ask HN: Do you still physical calculators?
Buttons vs apps: the calculator comeback nobody saw coming
TLDR: A Hacker News thread asked if people still use physical calculators, and it exploded into nostalgia vs. convenience. Clicky-key loyalists swear by distraction-free HPs, pragmatists use phones and emulators, and jokers roasted the title’s typo—proof that tools with real buttons still punch above their weight in a touchscreen world.
A simple “do you still use physical calculators?” post on Hacker News turned into a full-on culture war—button-heads vs app army. The old-school crowd came in hot: one fan of the HP 15C raved about real keys, muscle memory, and zero distractions—“It never interrupts me. Ever.” Another swore their HP-42S stays in hand “from my cold dead hands,” while a chorus mourned what one called a lost art: that clicky, satisfying feel you just don’t get on glass.
On the other side, some shrugged and said the phone wins. One joker asked if Windows’ built‑in calculator counts, while another admitted their dusty school-era Casio is “an artifact from another time.” There were compromises, too: emulator diehards run virtual HPs on their phones, and a machinist flexed the ultimate pragmatist move—keeping a $5 pocket calculator by the lathe because “it’s easier than a whole computer.”
Brand drama? Oh, it’s there. One user flexed a full calculator zoo—HP 16C, 15C, 48GX—while dunking on Texas Instruments gear gathering dust. A grammar side-quest erupted when someone roasted the post’s title—“I think you accidentally a verb”—because the internet never misses a typo. The vibe: real buttons are soul, apps are convenience, and everyone has receipts. Also, Reverse Polish Notation (RPN)—a stack-style way to enter numbers—has its own cult, and they’re not quiet about it.
Key Points
- •The post asserts that software tools (e.g., Desmos, default OS calculators) often surpass physical scientific and graphing calculators in performance and capability.
- •Brands such as Texas Instruments and Casio are cited as examples of physical calculator makers under consideration.
- •The author asks whether people still use physical calculators despite modern software alternatives.
- •Respondents are invited to explain why hardware calculators may be different or better for them than software tools, and vice versa.
- •The post seeks practical comparisons of use cases and preferences between dedicated hardware and software calculators.