You only need a graphing calculator because you’re not allowed to use wolfram alpha, desmos, or Matlab. Since you’re mandated to use graphing calculators, (sometimes even specific models) there’s no incentive to make them cheaper or better since you need to buy them anyway.
Economics
Submitted 10 months ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to science_memes@mander.xyz
https://mander.xyz/pictrs/image/6f5be9d1-0a05-4362-9385-b85165d32741.jpeg
Comments
JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
pennomi@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Yep, graphing calculators are a forced necessity for school, therefore they can charge anything they want and people will still buy them. This kind of artificial demand causes extreme price inelasticity and is capitalism at its worst.
Same deal with university books, you are forced to buy them so they cost hundreds of dollars, when they could easily be sold at a profit for a quarter of the cost.
Crashumbc@lemmy.world 10 months ago
And why there’s a “new” version every year that just moves things around…
JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
Yup, free market only incentives competition when it’s actually free. Demand monopolys are just as bad as supply ones.
Neato@ttrpg.network 10 months ago
When I was in school, it was always specific models. They had to limit it to one brand and like 2-3 known good models to prevent the ones that could solve equations.
So there’s no reason for TI to ever lower prices.
Damage@feddit.it 10 months ago
The incentive Is supposed to be competition among manufacturers, something is preventing that
atocci@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Schools have lists of approved models for standardized test taking. If students (the largest market) can’t use your calculator, making one is probably not going to be profitable.
undergroundoverground@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Its okay, as I neoclassical economist, I know exactly how to fix this issue.
Tax breaks for the rich.
Asafum@feddit.nl 10 months ago
No no no, it’s not an issue at all!
It’s Working As Intended* as in there’s a demand (guaranteed by schools) so we charge whatever the fuck we want! Supply is also high? Following supply and demand as theory is for chumps! Supply and demand theory is for us to use as we see fit and to ignore the aspects we don’t like!
undergroundoverground@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I think you know as well as I do that your honesty and integrity in describing how people are being fucked over by this process excludes you from neoclassical economics. Its always easy to catch out the fakers.
I mean, how am I supposed to justify tax breaks for the rich with that?
boatsnhos931@lemmy.world 10 months ago
My life is rich but I have no monies. Tax break? 🥹
undergroundoverground@lemmy.world 10 months ago
So close: “tax breaks, for the rich.” If poor people stop paying tax too, whos going to pay to enforce enforce all the exploitation and wealth extraction done by the rich?
9point6@lemmy.world 10 months ago
The crazy thing is they are basically selling the same models this whole time too
protist@mander.xyz 10 months ago
My TI-89 from 1997 still works perfectly, so at least you only have to buy it once
AstridWipenaugh@lemmy.world 10 months ago
The TI-89 was ~$100 when I bought one 20 years ago. Looked it up on Amazon and they’re $100-$150 depending on the specific model. They haven’t kept up with inflation at all, which means they’ve been getting cheaper this whole time…
uis@lemm.ee 10 months ago
For 100$ you can buy new phone and install any math software you want
Klaymore@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
Please tell me what calculator app is as nice as a physical calculator, I haven’t found one yet
fiercekitten@lemm.ee 10 months ago
Hey don’t forget to credit the author!
Zach Weinersmith Smbc-comics.com
sneezycat@sopuli.xyz 10 months ago
Found the source of the actual comic, for higher quality :)
mexicancartel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 months ago
Fierce kitten vs Sneezy cat? Something fishy
fossilesque@mander.xyz 10 months ago
Thx!
WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@lemmy.world 10 months ago
The audience is listening.
Rognaut@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Blame Texas Instruments for being smiley and greedy. Go figure.
abfarid@startrek.website 10 months ago
🙂
Bread@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
Those smiley fucks have got it coming, I swaer.
GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml 10 months ago
The demand is basically artificial since there are a limited amount of calculator models that are allowed to be used on tests at universities. Since they can get away with it, they keep charging these prices.
roguetrick@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Plus those models are using the same exact chip fabs with the same exact inputs that they always have.
Xavienth@lemmygrad.ml 10 months ago
I had one professor who could tell almost any calculator model from 30 feet away. Other than him I never had any professor care about the specific model of calculator during an examination.
Kaboom@reddthat.com 10 months ago
Iirc, theyre the last products still using a z80, which was launched in the seventies. Keeping an entire chip fab open for one thing isnt cheap, even if its for something like a z80
Kecessa@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
At the same time, there’s no reason why they couldn’t upgrade to something else. You can do everything a graph calculator does on your cellphone using websites…
Kaboom@reddthat.com 10 months ago
You say that, but its standardized. It needs to be exactly the same if only to keep everyone on a level playing field
Doombot1@lemmy.one 10 months ago
The z80 actually just went EOL last week! After nearly 50 years.
roguetrick@lemmy.world 10 months ago
Yeah but they’re still making the ez80 for the calculators. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog_eZ80
WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@lemmy.world 10 months ago
If it’s good enough for Phantasy Star it’s good enough for me.
webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 10 months ago
The product isn’t total compute, Its reliable compute.
Still no excuse but pretty industry standard. The production costs for an iphone 6 where about a 100 bucks but sold for 8 times as much.
GreatDong3000@lemm.ee 10 months ago
For economists (and business) students it isn’t a graphing calculator but same thing with HP12c (financial calculator). But it is only like 40 dollars.
TenderfootGungi@lemmy.world 10 months ago
One of the scientific calculators has great business functions in a menu (ti83 maybe?). I prefered it to actual business calculators. And it could handle the science classes as well.
I don’t remember the exact model, though. Once out of school we use excel.
Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 10 months ago
Essentially, it’s because it’s a monopolistic/anti-competitive relationship, so the producer is able to charge much more than if it were competitive. The producer seeks to maximize profits, and the schools enable them by effectively controlling the market.
einlander@lemmy.world 10 months ago
And that’s why I own a Casio breaking calculator. Way cheaper than TI. BTW TI calculator are more expressive because you essentially are passing TI to indoctrinate you. Thr price of the calculator factors in the teaching materials, conferences, and marketing.
quantenzitrone@lemmings.world 10 months ago
if you already own a computing device that runs a modern-ish web browser, its gratis
TheOakTree@lemm.ee 10 months ago
This almost seems like the middle point between Desmos’ scientific and graphing calculators.
Got_Bent@lemmy.world 10 months ago
I remember getting my Texas instruments financial calculator circa 2009 for probably fifty dollars or so.
The professor told us that at the time, production costs for my fifty dollar calculator were roughly a dollar.
On the bright side, I’ll bring that thing in whenever I buy a car and it truly fucks with the whole “what kind of payment are you looking for” routine they do. (Though these days, I’m more likely to bring a laptop with Excel. Same idea, but faster and better visuals)
negativenull@lemmy.world 10 months ago
!(imgs.xkcd.com/comics/1996.png)