Re: Are these books worth getting? Message #2 Posted by John Smith on 4 May 2003, 6:39 p.m., in response to message #1 by Rick
Hi, Rick:
This is a very personal comment, others might agree or
disagree. For what is worth, I have both books, and find
"A guide to HP handheld calculators and computers" an
absolute must. I've read it from cover to back many, many
times, and I still enjoy it immensely. I would definitely
recommend you order a copy as soon as you can, you won't be
dissappointed in the least. It's full of both accurate data,
historical facts, and lots of very interesting and amusing
trivia about HP calculators and related products. The only
thing is that it is a little outdated by now, but perhaps
its author, Wlodek Mier-Jedrzejowicz, would consider
publishing a 4th, updated & improved edition soon. Meanwhile, get the 3rd edition (or even the 2nd), you'll
certainly be more than happy.
As for the other book, while interesting it is an altogether different kind of beast. It's more a catalog of old calculators, all brands (1,500+ models featured), with
minimal information on particular models. Besides, only
LED calculators are featured (with some exceptions), and
so you won't find the HP-41C or any newer HP model there
(including HP-11C, 15C, etc, not to mention HP-48/49).
Due to its broad coverage, the information given for any
particular model is really minimal. For instance, the
entry for the HP-55 doesn't even mention this model's
outstanding feature, namely that it has a quartz-controlled
timer (with split capability, 1/100th-second resolution,
etc). So, it really doesn't make for interesting reading,
it's obviously intended mainly for reference. If you are
into general calculator collecting, this will be valuable.
If you are just interested in HP models, you'll find the
coverage in this book minimal.
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