I must say that my initial impression of graphing calculators was much like
Ludwik's. After programing and using Vernier sofware and probes on a computer
why would anyone use the graphing calculator? Today even price is not a good
arguement. We are throwing out or giving away 286, 386, and occasionally
486 computers and it is hard to get anything for less than $0.00.
However, space and portability are often critical. For a multi use classroom
computers on every desk would be undesirable. However, a classroom set of
calculators and CBL's can be kept in a small cabnet or even carried around in
a large briefcase. Last spring I taught technical physics for a group of
automotive technology students, which met off campus and I used TI-92s with
CBL for many labs. It was a lot less work than hauling the bulky equipment
we usually use in lab. We also had fun doing experiments in and with the cars.
The answers to the problem of programing are to 1. Use off the shelf programs,
of which there are many. 2. Do the programing on a computer and then transfer
to a calculator using the "graph link".
While the calculators don't seem to intuitive (they don't work like our
computers) I don't think they are any worse. After a while my manuals
developed a few well worn sections and then they pretty much automatically
opened to the pages I needed. Learning anything new takes an investment of
time. Remember doing your first work with a spreadsheet? If you are going
to use it a lot it is a good investment and if you are not going to use it the
time spent will be very hard to justify. For most of us I think portability
is the big advantage.