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HP Forum Archive 17

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HP-35s delimiters: Another RPL-esque characteristic
Message #1 Posted by Karl Schneider on 15 Sept 2007, 3:50 p.m.

All --

In the blizzard of commentary about the HP-35s, this might have been noted already, but I can't specifically recall.

When a number is being input on the HP-35s while the delimiters ("," or ".") that separate groups of 1000 are active (i.e., DISPLAY 7 set), the delimiters do not appear until the number is finalized by ENTER, setting change, or other operation. The legacy models (including the HP-33s), by contrast, insert the delimiters as the number is input.

I would assume that the HP-35s behavior stems from the "input buffer" logic adopted from the RPL-based HP-50g, in which input is treated as free-form until it is processed upon some concluding action. The awkward base-arithmetic (hexadecimal/octal/binary) format is another RPL idea that was transferred.

Perhaps these changes were made in order to standardize code between the HP-35s and HP-50g. However, I like the old "RPN way" better...

-- KS

Edited: 15 Sept 2007, 3:56 p.m.

      
Re: HP-35s delimiters: Another RPL-esque characteristic
Message #2 Posted by Pal G. on 16 Sept 2007, 1:46 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Karl Schneider

Yes, this has been discussed.

As an HP calculator greenhorn, I was not sure why the fuss. However, yesterday, I used a co-workers hp 41cx. I typed a large number just to see this particular effect. (I've never seen it before; I have an hp 50g and hp 35s). Predictably, the calculator inserted commas as I kept pressing zeros..

All I can say is, nice feature!

Cheers, Pal


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