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.
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.
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.
Its okay, as I neoclassical economist, I know exactly how to fix this issue.
Tax breaks for the rich.
Ask me to solve any economic problem, I have the answers.
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!
The crazy thing is they are basically selling the same models this whole time too
Hey don't forget to credit the author!
Zach Weinersmith Smbc-comics.com
Found the source of the actual comic, for higher quality :)
Fierce kitten vs Sneezy cat? Something fish-y
Thx!
The audience is listening.
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...
Blame Texas Instruments for being smiley and greedy. Go figure.
🙂
Those smiley fucks have got it coming, I swaer.
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.
Plus those models are using the same exact chip fabs with the same exact inputs that they always have.
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.
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
The z80 actually just went EOL last week! After nearly 50 years.
Yeah but they're still making the ez80 for the calculators. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zilog_eZ80
If it's good enough for Phantasy Star it's good enough for me.
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.
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.
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.
The product isn't total compute, Its reliable compute for a measuring device.
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.
Permanently Deleted
And that's why I own a Casio graphing 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.
if you already own a computing device that runs a modern-ish web browser, its gratis
This almost seems like the middle point between Desmos' scientific and graphing calculators.
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)
