Calculator Logic Systems, Part Ia
Message #1 Posted by bill platt (les Estats Unis d'Amerique) on 11 June 2004, 2:22 p.m.
OK,
To start out, I am merely posting an outline as I see it, of calculator logic systems as currently in use.
This is "Part Ia" because of my previous post:
http://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/hpmuseum/archv013.cgi?read=38678
The idea here is that I will first post this, so everyone can see it, and then in a few days I will post my "treatise" as it were.
Please post any glaringly obvious omissions, and i wil ledit this list (within my prerogative, of course) so that we have a nice "seminar outline" as it were....is this getting to be too academic; oh well!
Note that I am trying to stay away from the more advanced and specialized features---this icludes PMT IRR etc on financials, Statistics, unit conversions etc on scientifics etc.
Best regards,
Bill Platt
Calculator Operating Systems: (Leaving out matrices and other special or utility functions eg conversions, units etc)
Group 1: Stack Based
RPN (postfix except for register work which is infix)
programming is essentially machine code level
RPL (postfix everything)
programming is essentially high-level (except assembler hacking!)
Variations:
stack depth
variable handling
data types
exponentiation direction of entry
compex number handling
register handling
register arithmetic
programming features
statistics/special features handling
"Adding Machine" (in between group 1 and 2)
postfix for addition and subtraction; infix for multiplication and division
Group 2 (also known as "Direct Calculation" as opposed to "Formula Entry")
"Algebraic with precedence" with postfix "1 number functions"
"Algebraic" without precedence (and postfix "1-number functions")
Ordinary 4-function infix arithmetic, postfix "1-number" functions)
Variations on algebraic:
"history" stack
"last" (sometimes called "ANS")
"swap"
"input" for "2-number functions" and other special features (e.g. statistics)
handling/display of intermediate results
chain computation
computation with a constant
complex arithmetic
Note that these variations are by no means universal. The meaning of "swap" "k" et cetera may differ greatly from one maker to another or even from one model to another.
Numerous variations exist on the handling of:
clearing & cancelling
m^n (y^x, x^y, x_Root-of_y etc)
%
statistics
permutation & combination
variables and or registers or memories
register/memory arithmetic
programming rules
use of parenthesis in non-precedence machines
Group 3: Formula Based
"Formula Entry" (infix everything except usually x^2 is usually postfix and y^x is infix)
"Formula Entry" with "implicit multiplication" (again infix everything except x^2)
Variations on Formula Entry (Sometimes called "direct algebraic logic," "visually perfect algebraic logic" etc).
history stack
scrollable edit
intermediate results
use of previous results ("ANS")
Edited: 11 June 2004, 2:25 p.m.
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