[HPCC-Conf] Unusual Calculator

[Tony Duell]

> > If _I_ was settiing an exam, BTW, I'd let you take in any calculator you
> >  wanted. And any books/notes. And it would still be fair-but-difficult.
> > Limiting what aids you're allowed simply means the examiners can't set
> > proper questions IMHO.
> 
> I agree.  In college, one of the professors had the policy that you
> were allowed to use anything you could carry into the room.  One of my
> classmates carried in a grad student.  Wish I'd thought of that, but on

ROFL :-)

Actually, I think I would prohibit 'another person or a communication 
system to another persion' (e.g. a cellular telephone). One of the 
practical exams I did <mumble> years ago had a restriction like that -- 
you could take in notes, databooks, calculators, etc. And any measuring 
instrument you thought might be useful too. 

My reason for objecting to exams that restrict the 'tools' you're 
allowed is simple. Your performance on the exam is used to judge your 
suitability to work in the real world, or do research or whatever. And 
yet I don't know a single electronic engineer who attempts to design 
something without reading the appropriate data sheets. I don't know of a 
single engineer who artificially restricts what calculating instruments 
or measuring instruments he uses. You always use the most suitable tools 
that you can. Or at least I do.

> the other hand, I didn't really need it.

:-)...

-tony