Elektronika MK-54

Functionally equivalent, but containing different internal circuitry (B3-34 has 145 series of circuits, but MK-54 is 745 series), the B3-34 became the MK-54, marking possibly the first calculator of the merged MK/B3 lines of calculators. This seems to mark the emergence of the MK line from the shadows of the more prevalent B3- line, since earlier MK calculators have proven difficult to find. The MK-54 cost 85 rubles, its price (as on many of the calculators) was marked into the injection-molded plastic cases, making price changes difficult and demonstrating the Communist regimes famously inflexible pricing philosophy.

"Cool site! It reminded me my old days (and nights) with MK54 and lunar space-ship games ("Lunolet" in Russian). Do you know, that there were Sci-Fi stories, based on programs for MK54 compatible calculators? Popular magazine "Tehnika-Molodezhi" was issuing part of the story every month along with code of the program which allowed reader/user to follow the steps of story heroes. These programs emulate control of some kind of small lunar spaceship with kerosene-oxigen fuel, and story led the reader from first training take-offs from the Moon, to the Moon orbit to the Moon-orbiting space station (to refuel the ship) to the Earth orbit and finally to the landing into the Earth's Pacific ocean. The amazing part is that the authors of the programs managed to fit very complex calculations into the calculator's memory, program could event calculate that the pilot "must" lose "consciousness" for a moment if acceleration is high. To tell the truth, no other programs gave me more of that virtual-reality feel than these programs with numeric I/O! "

- Vadim thus signed the guestbook.

"There are many application programs (about 1000) for MK-54 compatible calculators. Now they all seem not very practicable because more powerful computers are available. Also there are several nice games. But in my opinion, the programming language of MK-54 is quite pleasant. Most tricks found in the literature are based on undocumented properties of MK, but there are lots of legal ways to make a program more short/fast. These can be found in programs made by famous experts. I have some nice games (e.g. mastermind, digit version) for MK. If you have a MK-61 or MK-52, you can enjoy playing them."

- Alexander Bulatov

Emulator

http://www.skfgvc.elektra.ru/art/soft.html The files you require are...

http://www.skfgvc.elektra.ru/art/soft/app/calc.zip http://www.skfgvc.elektra.ru/art/soft/app/calcref.zip