HP Forum Archive 05

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Frustrations... Message #1 Posted by John on 14 Feb 2001, 2:14 p.m. This last weekend, I was 'stuck' out in the boondocks, without my HP that normally goes with me everywhere. Then, for a somewhat complicated calculation that popped up, I was also 'stuck' with the only available calculator at the moment, namely an algebraic one. The many frustrations I went through, with wrong sequences, wrong key strokes, well you can just imagine - I'm probably too steeped in the RPN world... THEN, I happened to think - is that the same thing that happens to people who are SO used to the other side of 'perfection'? And which might steer them away from RPN?? John

Re: Frustrations... Message #2 Posted by Frank Knight on 14 Feb 2001, 6:16 p.m., in response to message #1 by John When I first got a scientific in '75 it was algebraic, but then as soon as I could justify I got an HP in late 76, and I forced myself to use both interchangeably by taking different ones different days and swiching around on homework. As TI moved to their version of AOS in what, 77 or so it added a bit of further complexity to remaining "bilingual" as did efficient keystroke programming.

Re: Frustrations... Message #3 Posted by Jim L on 14 Feb 2001, 7:19 p.m., in response to message #1 by John I had been using algebraics for years before RPN but I found the transition very easy. I've found it very hard to go back though. I can enter an expression on paper into an algebraic just fine but then when I realize I need to multiply that result times 5 I always press 5 x and then I look at it wondering where my answer is.

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