Re: beijing silk market Message #5 Posted by Dave Hicks on 16 Nov 2000, 11:39 a.m., in response to message #4 by db (martinez, california)
I didn't see any RPN calculators in China other than HPs.
I do have some National Semi models including one with a manual addendum (that looks like it was 10 copier generations away from an original page made on a typewriter that needed servicing.) The addendum says that to assure error-free computing, you should start the calculator with (from memory) On, Off, On, Off, Clr, Clr, Clr. Most reassuring…
Displays are OK not great, buttons are different from one model to the next but I wouldn't call any of them even fair. Programming on one consists of setting the switch to program and then keying in instructions with no visible feedback. Then you switch back to run and hope you got it right. No editing, no branching, no looping, no testing. Very cheap overall feel. (This is all from memory - they're packed away somewhere.)
When I pick up other potentially interesting calculators from the early HP era, I'm usually reminded of how special the HPs were. It's easy to take that for granted after decades of solid calculators with great buttons etc.
One RPN model I'd like to find is the Corvus 500. I'd also like to find its manual which John Ball described as "Just awful".
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