HP Forum Archive 09

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Is it true HP isnt making the 49G Message #1 Posted by Criss P. on 27 Oct 2002, 2:29 p.m. I have heard some people say that HP will no longer be making the HP 49G or developing any new calculators. Is there any truth to this? And if so, should I buy a 49G now or will I still be able to in half a year? Thankyou

Re: Is it true HP isnt making the 49G Message #2 Posted by Ellis Easley on 27 Oct 2002, 3:21 p.m., in response to message #1 by Criss P. Shortly after the 32SII was discontinued, while there were still units in some stores for the list price of $60, the price on Ebay went to $150. If this is repeated on the 49G (when and if it goes away), the price might go up to around $500. It might truly be the last RPN, unless something happens. Ideas come to me while I am writing my missives here: television sets nowadays come with a disposable (and easily replaced with a generic equivalent) remote control that contains the codes to operate hundreds of different VCR's, cable boxes, and now probably DVD players, only a tiny fraction of which any user will need. Why can't the makers of calculator IC's (I think Mike Sebastion says it's pretty much down to Toshiba) be prevailed upon to add RPN capability as a user option? From studying the early TI calculator booklets, I understand that "AOS" uses as much, or more, RAM as the 4 level stack. Not only do numbers need to be remembered, operations are also held in a stack until the "=" key (or parentheses or whatever) is pressed. Maybe HP will bring this up with their new suppliers. HP certainly has the code required, and could help a supplier incorporate it.

Re: Why no RPN option? Message #3 Posted by Paul Brogger on 29 Oct 2002, 9:08 a.m., in response to message #2 by Ellis Easley I'm sure niether the cost of the IC's themselves, nor the cost of RAM is a determining factor. It's no doubt the costs of developing (software) and of adequately testing, documenting, and supporting a whole different "mode of operation" that will prevent such an option from being made routine. HP may have some code that has worked for several implementations, and they might even be willing to share it with another manufacturer (don't hold your breath!), but that manufacturer would likely have to nearly double the software development, testing, documentation and support budgets in order to make the option available to a relatively tiny fraction of the potential market. Even piggy-backed on the creation of an AOS device, RPN no doubt doesn't look to decision-makers like a very profitable enterprise.

Re: Why no RPN option? Message #4 Posted by Emmanuel, France on 1 Nov 2002, 10:48 a.m., in response to message #3 by Paul Brogger Heard that they were reducing the number of calcs. HP-12C will survive, be sure. To be or not to be RPN nowadays? That's the question ... It was really useful and powerful during war against AOS. It was a notation, not a language. I'm an HP-41 fanatic and my words aren't objective.

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