[930addict]

I have to agree with snowman on this one. I've often contended that consistant use of technology alters the way our brains work. For example, when some of you were in school you used pen and paper to write reports. Then the typewriter came along so you used the typewriter to perform the same task. What do these two different modes of writing have in common? Both require you to form a thought and then a cohecive sentence in your head before you begin to write, lest you will be forced to re-type or re-write your sentence numerous times. Then here comes computers with word processors. This is my era. Now you can write stream of thought with no regard to the coheciveness of your sentence or it's place in the paragraph. You simply write the first thing that comes to mind and then cut here paste there and away you go. Thus, your brain is not trained to think through ideas fully before they are written or spoken.

I can see the same thing happening with math and calculators. If someone learns math just by using a calculator then they would not have the same understanding of the logic behind the computations. This, in my opinion, leaves the individual at a disadvantage as they cannot visualize the relationships in mathematical models, formulas etc.