Modes (complex-number and otherwise) Message #9 Posted by Karl Schneider on 12 Feb 2011, 2:50 a.m., in response to message #4 by Bart (UK)
Quote:
Modes, modes. Why does it have to be modes? This "modes" thing is what got me to get rid of my fx-850p 25 years ago...
Good point, Bart. Indeed, Casio has long been enamored of operating modes, and still makes extensive use of them in the cheap but capable fx-115 series.
Flag 8 on the HP-15C and CRES/RRES on the HP-42S are "modes" of a sort, as are many of the flags on the HP-41, HP-42S, and HP-48,-49,-50 models. The real issue is whether functionality is cohesive and complementary.
On Casio models, this is often not the case. To use one kind of functionality requires that a particular mode to be entered, which then disables the functionality that is accessed by another mode. It is as though the calc is intended to be used to help the user learn the scholastic 'topic du jour'.
By contrast, on the HP-15C -- to use one example -- all functionality is always available, as long as sufficient memory is allocated. Statistical functions, integration, rootfinding, complex-number calculations, and matrix calculations can all be programmed and used cohesively.
-- Karl
Edited: 12 Feb 2011, 3:01 a.m.
|