HP Forum Archive 10

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A good sign for new HP Calculators Message #1 Posted by JaSon on 21 Feb 2003, 4:31 a.m. HP has bothered to get at least one good distributor for HP calcs. Walmart now sells the HP 9g (online only right now), and they aren't undercutting their distributors this time by selling the calcs cheaper on hpshopping. It's only 34.94 thru walmart vs 39.99 on the hpshopping page http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2129288&cat=4488&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A4488

Re: A good sign for new HP Calculators Message #2 Posted by Glen Kilpatrick on 21 Feb 2003, 5:02 p.m., in response to message #1 by JaSon And the 9S is at http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2129289&cat=4488&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3951%3A4488 ....

Not really a good thing Message #3 Posted by Joe Edwards on 21 Feb 2003, 5:43 p.m., in response to message #1 by JaSon These calcs seem to be pretty much fluff that are outsourced from other companies which just stick a HP logo on them. Where is the RPN? Where is the SOLID construction of the previous HP calcs? Where is HP's support of todays professionals? Why do we have to put up with "ergonomic" shapes and silly colors? I don't even see why HP is trying at this point. They themselves ended any change of a triumphant return in the calculator market. TI pretty much has it wrapped up now, especially in the education field. What I want to know is who is to fill the gap that HP used to fill in regards to engineers, mathematicians, computer scientists, etc? Joe

Re: Not really a good thing Message #4 Posted by Larry Corrado on 21 Feb 2003, 8:54 p.m., in response to message #3 by Joe Edwards I agree with you on your assessment of the present generation of HPs. but... Is there really a "gap?" If I have an "immediate" calculation to do, I do it on my HP-15C at home or my TI-xx at work. If it's a bit more complex, or maybe one eith a lot of input data or where I want to save the data, I'll use a spreadsheet. If it's more complicated, I'll write a routine in a high-level programming language, Java or Visual Basic... I'm not going to reach for a calculator. Don't get me wrong.. I like calculators. I have dozens of them. I love looking at them, testing their features, rejuvenating them, researching their history. But they're not what I reach for first if I have a serious calculating need. IMHO, Larry

Re: Not really a good thing Message #5 Posted by Joe Edwards on 21 Feb 2003, 10:09 p.m., in response to message #4 by Larry Corrado True, very true. Nowadays, I guess a computer takes care of many situations, relegating calculators to situations where quick calculations are needed. Nonetheless, it would be nice if the quality of their calculators was greater. Flash and appearance don't impress me at all. The idea of a piece of equipment going strong after 2 decades does. Too many things these days are simply disposable. These companies no longer look at the long term...it definately isn't just calculators. :( Joe

Re: Not really a good thing Message #6 Posted by Christof on 22 Feb 2003, 4:17 p.m., in response to message #4 by Larry Corrado I disagree. There are a lot of times where I dont' want to use- or don't want to carry- a computer. oh, it's fine if you live at a desk! But even in a lab, it's easier to cart around a 41CX and have data entry, alarm fuctions, and the ability to solve complex interactions than to cart around a laptop, power cord, deal with no breaking hinged screens..... Tell d.b. that a computer is easier in the field surveying. or a geologist. In the same amount of time it takes a comanion to retreive a machine, boot, get into forte for java, and start working out code, I can complete a basic test algo on a 28, 48, 41, or even 42 (you have to sort of build some libraries for these examples) for an natural language or "experintial learning" problem and have the problem and solution definitions on the white board. Yeah- most people don't need all the functions that were found in a 42S, or a 41CX, or a 67 for that matter. But they were there for a reason and got used. I don't think the utility is gone, I think people just have been programmed to need chrome by the ton. After all, I could just as easily have put down the calculator and used my Commodore PET in the early 80s- nothing has really changed in that regard.

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