Re: What's your flavour? Message #2 Posted by bill platt on 25 Mar 2012, 12:07 a.m., in response to message #1 by Matt Agajanian
When I was little, I used my father's SR something.
My own first calculator (10th grade) was an 11c. That, and RPN, was all I ever cared to own for a long time. I lost that machine in 94 or 95. I replaced it with a 32sii. At the time, I saw the algebraic pioneers and turned my nose up at them.
In more recent years, following on my discovery of this museum way back like 10 years ago, I have become very multi-lingual from an entry standpoint.
Today, I tend to prefer the algebraics (gasp!). Of course I like RPN, too. Sometimes RPN feels better. Sometimes not.
Good algebraics beat the pants off RPN. If you have swap, last, or other features like that, or memory, or "ans" or history, you can do a lot, very efficiently, and you can see what the heck you did more clearly with an algebraic.
RPN is "natural" only for direct computations. It isn't natural at all for expression building. Gentlemen: start your engines. Flames are welcome :-)
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