As I wrote earlier, I have been reading Gamma: Exploring Euler's Constant, by Julian Havil, which begins with a chapter about Napier and the invention of logarithms.

The historical motivation for logarithms is quite interesting. We think of addition, subtraction ( Read more... )

--A.S. Besicovitch. From Cool Math Quotes
( Warning: Math content )

A Virtual Slide Rule.

I have several real slide rules at home, and I still know how to use them. I could not afford an electronic calculator until 1976, when I got an HP-21.

Via Slashdot.

( At least, I think so )