Re: Hypothetical HP 15CII Message #3 Posted by Chris Woodhouse on 28 May 2004, 2:12 p.m., in response to message #2 by Namir
Namir opined,
Quote:
Any space for alphanumerics??
I'm glad you asked that. There are 43 keys on that design. If you subtract the ENTER, ON, f, g, INV, and an ALPHA key that leaves 37 keys. If you also omit the numeric keys, which many would want to not be part of the alpha shifted set, that leaves you with 27. That is enough, but I really don't think I like the idea. I am thinking this should be more of a basic scientific calculator, in the tradition of the 10C series. I added the second line on the display because it would fit with out moving any keys. While I don't think the second line really makes RPN easier to use, I do think it makes it easier to learn. Personally I also have a little bit more of a "warm fuzzy feeling" if I can see both numbers I am about to act on and I think it gives you one more chance to notice a potential error in your previous result. The INV key wasn't my idea. I read about it in the comp.sys.hp48 forum, and I thought it sounded like a great way to keep keyboard clutter down and get more functions on the keyboard.
Some of the other things I would change from the 15C are, speed and memory those are no brainers. I would keep the 20 directly addressable memory registers exactly the way they are, but I would change the stats functions so they stored their data in their own dedicated registers (we can easily have enough memory for that on a simple scientific calculator today). You may have noticed that PI has it's own key, I really like that. Other than that I don't see where I would change much else on the 15C I just added the extra buttons to allow for more functions that other people might like to see. Maybe add the most common financial functions of the 12C, so all the engineers that switch over to the "dark side" can do all the TVM stuff with their scientific calculator.
Chris W
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