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HP Forum Archive 02

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Re: The (sad) future of RPN?
Message #1 Posted by Menno on 31 Jan 2000, 7:38 a.m.

You should start at the Technical Universities. The one I went to (Netherlands) the HP32S was the standard calculator.You had to buy one. So I switched from my TI-64-programmable to the RPN and never used anything else again, hooked perhaps? I will allways prefer RPN. BUT if I never got in contact with that HP32S I would never have learned RPN. And if you don't know what you miss you won't miss it.

Menno

      
Re: The (sad) future of RPN?
Message #2 Posted by Reinhard Hawel on 1 Feb 2000, 9:37 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Menno

I got used to RPN with my 48SX. I used a HP-71B before (a non RPN machine) and it was great too.

I had earned some practice in FORTH before (does anybody of you youngsters know this great, but old language ? :-) )

So I really didn't have a problem switching to RPN on the 48. I never got used to it on the 41, because I would miss the infinite nimber of stack levels (I throw anything onto the stack, even intermediate results).

Programming RPN progs on a 41 might be easy, because you might have the time to think abt. the stack contents while programming.

I could never get used to 4 stack levels during "normal" calculations.

Just my 2 cents

            
Re: The (sad) future of RPN?
Message #3 Posted by Kevin FitzGerrell on 2 Feb 2000, 8:51 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Reinhard Hawel

I learned RPN first on a 41CX and never looked back. I'll miss it if HP strays too far from what I need. I'm still hoping they'll bring back the 42S (or a similar calc) with a two way IR for I/O. I really need a pocket calc I can put in my pocket!

As a "youngster" I remembered FORTH only in passing until LEGO brought out the Mindstorms Robotic Invention System. Users hacked the core controller operating system and one developed a FORTH version for it that gives much better control of the controller. FORTH is also gaining popularity again as an imbedded microcontroller language (it's fairly fast and very small -- same reason it was popular for early calculator/computers).

      
Re: The (sad) future of RPN?
Message #4 Posted by Peter on 13 Mar 2000, 8:03 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Menno

Hi there I always use my HP (41, 28, 25) calculator and now i can`t calculate on a `normal` calc.
> `Where the hell is the `Enter`- key ? ` <

Peter


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