Continuing: from another post Message #1 Posted by Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil) on 9 July 2003, 12:33 a.m.
Hi, folks;
this is a new post (thread) that continues my reply to Valentin's Qwiz. I was afraid this reply could misdirect Valentin's interesting post and consequent thread. I would not like seeing a not-related thread growing after the starting post because of my answer. Maybe there is no answer and I'm overestimating my lines, who knows...
Valentin wrote in his original post:
Quote: Though noone posted a solution to my latest HP-15C Quiz/Challenge, "Matrix Trilogy", and though it's pretty clear to me by now that most people participating in this forum are hardware/collector-oriented, being the unrepentant software guy that I am, here is yet another HP-15C Quiz/Challenge for you to try, the last one for a number of months to come.
I can't agree with your statement as a whole, my friend. I (amongst others?) read all your challenges, and when I figure out that I cannot contribute with some significant solution, I keep waiting till someone shows a reasonable one. Some get closer, some don't.
Now I have a wide open question: what good is a working calculator for if not for using it to accomplish the job it was designed for: computing?
I'm almost sure I'll be flamed for that, but if I have a (programmable) calculator in hands, I'll be scratching my head for as long as I need to understand how to use (program) it. My sin: read manuals from cover to cover, going to the next page only when I understand the one I'm reading now. I printed all manuals I found for the HP71B and I'm reading all of them. I cannot help avoiding this... I know others use calculators differently and I would never criticize them. I'm just mentioning my concerns and procedures.
But I assume: I'm a hardware guy. But God d..: I still want to know what good is a working calculator for if not for using it somehow! Why restore, repair, rebuild... if you are not going to use it the best way?
I wrote a lot of programs in some languages, RPN-like and RPL included. I like to use the "tools" as much as I enjoy repairing them.
Now, for your quiz: I cannot connect my existing knowledge base for the three specific subjects in the same time: polynomial solving, applicable matrix arithmetic/manipulation and HP15C matrix&programming related resources. I think this is because I am a bad Chess player: I cannot think of dynamic relations between subjects from different origins. I deal a lot with digital signals, analog signals and I used to "see" relations between digital data in time charts easily, but this is easy when compared to the three "universes" mentioned above.
Sometimes I delve into the problem till I find a reasonable solution and I post it, as I have done a couple of times. But sometimes I feel like waiting for an answer arise in my head so I can write it down here, but there are moments when I simply wait... and wait... and wait... and nothing! I feel I'm a typical Brazilian "Regular Joe": a specialist in general subjects. I program, deal with, use and can repair (brief repairment) at least 20 different models of HP calculators and devices. But I'm no expert on any of them.
I wish I was.
Well, that's why I decided to post this "reply" in another thread. I'd be sorry if wasting one possible answer to Valentin's Quiz with non-related subjects.
Please, Valentin, forgive me.
Best regards.
Luiz (Brazil)
Edited: 9 July 2003, 1:00 a.m.
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