назад в СССР!

[peacetraveler22]

I'll never know or experience life during Soviet times, but during some of my visits to Russia I feel like I'm transported back to that era, or even another century. The road trip is coming to an end, with the final stop today in Yaroslavl. Along the way, I explored many small towns and spent an entire day and night in a village, talking to the locals in their homes, eating freshly prepared meals, and sleeping alone in an old house in the forest! But that will be the topic of another post. Yesterday in Soligalich, I entered a small meat shop and discovered this woman. I don't know for certain, but this blue uniform looks very Soviet, especially the hat. However, the most interesting thing in the provincial shops was...can you guess from the photo? :)

The object below! I became so confused when the shop owner started moving the balls, and thought she was offering to play some type of game. Then, my Russian travel companion informed me this is the shop's "calculator" or cash register, to add up the total cost of your purchase. How does it work? I still don't understand, but I was always bad at math. :)



The woman in the cheese shop next store was wearing this same blue outfit, but she is progressive! She had a normal adding machine, and even modern day scales to weigh the cheese.



I think it's always good to preserve your culture, including some old customs. But, yes, I was shocked to enter many small shops in Russian provinces and see no cash register, but this wooden contraption to calculate sales. Not just one or two shops, but a lot. Is it normal for a "modern" country? I think not. But maybe older people are so tied to tradition that they don't even want to purchase a basic calculator, which I assume is inexpensive in Russia. Progress in thought, technology, infrastructure...all signs of a healthy nation and culture in my view.

So many other things to write about, but I have no time on the road. :( On this trip, I've  met a lot of friendly Russians, and experienced no hostility based on the fact that I'm American. I'm very happy about both of these things! More to come soon...

Comments

[alter ego (from livejournal.com)]

помню, мы в школе счёты на математике проходили, один урок занимало. сейчас наверняка уже нет в программе.

[boytsev.livejournal.com]

The reason they're using "mechanical contraption" is because:
1) some of them they think a calculator would give an incorrect answer, whereas mechanical contraptions never lie, cause you can actually see the process of counting
2) most calculators need batteries and when you'll get used to it and battery will finally die, you won't be able to service the customer

If you stay long enough in shops like these, you can see them use the calculator first and then switch to abacus to check the calculator's answer.

[sergej-vl.livejournal.com]

Your friend cruelly deceived you.
It was not a calculator.
It was a massager for a back :)

[vssangre.livejournal.com]

Fatality:



Russian slide rule)

[uniala.livejournal.com]

У меня дома такие же лежат в чулане. )) Реликт. А ребенку я детские игрушечные счеты покупала. Вместе учились считать. Удобнее, чем со счетными палочками, кстати.

[zhanorus.livejournal.com]

Купили себе такое приспособление для подсчета суммы оплаты? :)

[a000796.livejournal.com]

after all, it works! moreover, making math themselves, salesmen would take responsibility for any mistakes personally. There were the times, when they have been forces to use old-fashion abacus even is they already had calculators or something else - just to doublecheck. Certainly it looks a bit "retarded" but it does work. It's like using credit card imprinter for Germans, or even simple cash for Swedish.

you just always make you choice between this



and this

[a000796.livejournal.com]

... personally i would rather complain about those ladies not using gloves :))

Все путешественники делают это

[andrey-kaminsky.livejournal.com]

http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~elf/abacus/feynman.html

[tropical-degree.livejournal.com]

Счеты ! Wooden" scheti "- truly great, haven't see them for ages:)
I still remember how my grandmother teached me to work on them...

[raad-traat.livejournal.com]

Oh, schyoty is good. Very effective and secure - no viruses at all!
Long time ago, in deep childhood I knew how to use it and was very familiar with it.
Bot not anymore...

[g-kar.livejournal.com]

I can only presume that old Russian abacus is for looks only. This device is quite unwieldy and the client usually can't "read" anything (even the old electromechanical calculators from 60-ies were much, much better).

However, it was used widely in USSR till 1991 because of low price and certain features of Soviet commerce (like seller being completely not interested in effectiveness of their official sales).
So it's nostalgia item for many people, obviously,

PS. The cheese lady actually has electronic cash register, not simple calculator :)

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

BTW on these photos they both have cash registers with memory (they have to, by the law).
On the first photo you can see it partly on the very left.

The other question is why they use an abacus instead of an electric calculator.
I read somewhere that people who are used to it can make calculations using an abacus faster than you can press buttons on a calculator :)

Of course, younger people don't know how to use this ancient device :)

[matthew-lawe.livejournal.com]

Счёты удобны для обсчёта

[beloborodoff.livejournal.com]

This is failry rare thing this days. I saw it may be 20 years ago last time.

[justadreamer.livejournal.com]

Разве в Америке не используют счёты? Вы шутите, наверное. Скажите ещё что у вас логарифмическую линейку не знают!

[a000796.livejournal.com]

герои Хайнлайна на логарифмической линейке межпланетную навигацию рассчитывали :))

[justadreamer.livejournal.com]

Во! Я же говорю — чего-то наша американская френдесса недоговаривает!

Re: Все путешественники делают это

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

This is like a nightmare! Math was my worst subject in school. I always loved literature, grammar and writing. A few years ago, I went to tutor young kids in a low income neighborhood and they asked for help with math homework. It was something with fractions and I couldn't even remember how to do it, because I never, ever use math in my professional life. So, I asked the kids if they had English homework I could help them with instead. :))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

It's good to keep the brain active, and this requires more thought than punching buttons on a calculator. :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I read online that they also use this thing in Asia and Africa. I've been to a few Asian countries, but have never seen it anywhere until this trip.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I prefer more modern inventions, esp. for math and number calculations. :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You know how to use this? And what did you use it for? Next time I'm in Russia, you can teach me. :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You know how to use this? And what did you use it for? Next time I'm in Russia, you can teach me. :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Well, we can also wash ourselves with water from a well and from a bucket, but I still prefer showers. :)) However, bathing in the banya was cool!