So we had the in-laws visiting last week and they brought us some of the wife’s old toys from their attic for us to give to the kids.

This was amongst the haul:

Oh yes. A Texas Instruments “Little Professor” from 1978, in pretty much mint condition, with a less-mint box, instructions and game cards 😀

Not sure whether to give it to the kids (who will ruin it) or flog it on eBay.

In general I say give toys to kids crankbrat is currently depreciating hundreds of pounds worth of dinky etc toys. I occasionally check them out on eBay and sob but he enjoys them as his grandparents and uncles enjoyed them before. BUT is that really going to be as good as a modern equivalent ? If not fleece a geek and buy a new modern equivalent instead .

Aw man I had one of those. I’ve still got my Speak and Spell kicking about somewhere, complete with frequently incomprehensible american accent, still worked last time I checked.

Now I’m looking at my son’s android tablet, which cost a fraction of a Commodore 64 in 1985, and thinking ‘God toys were rubbish when I was a nipper, kids these days, don’t know they’re born etc etc’.

BUT is that really going to be as good as a modern equivalent ? If not fleece a geek and buy a new modern equivalent instead .

Having played with it a bit myself (had to check it works obviously) it is surprisingly difficult for kids to use.

The instructions for starting the other games are like “Press [LEVEL] followed by a number between 1 and 4 for the difficulty level then press [SET] followed by an operation, then [GO]… If you get a problem wrong then “EEE” appear on the display” – friendly 😕

I think they probably gain more from the iPad 😀

I find a slide rule tends to generate considerable mirth or astonishment.

I was born in 1975 and have no idea how to use a slide rule, so I don’t know what youngsters would make of it!

Mum and Dad got me and tthew one of these and they have kept it with the box and kept it working, you’d be looking at £100 or more if you wanted to get one on ebay

but it’s too good to just exchange for cash, it’s so playable that when children play on it now they are hooked just like we were

I used to have one of those too ed. Might still be in an attic somewhere!

From what I can gather from eBay the “Little Professor” sell for about £25 in that condition. So I might just flog it and gets the kid something from this century instead 😀

Used to spend hours on this whilst on car journeys, should still be in my parents’ attic somewhere…