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Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #1 Posted by Les Koller on 4 Aug 2012, 12:41 a.m.

(new) Re: The Blue HP 50g has arrived. Message #18 Posted by Reth on 3 Aug 2012, 10:52 p.m., Report post, in response to message #16 by Ethan Conner

Quote: (HP 15C LE anyone?).... Also a dead horse.

True. And that's why HP shouldn't listen to the ageing fans driven by nostalgia. How many HP15C LE got sold comparing to the "bring back HP15C" petition?

======================================================================

The above was posted in the "Blue HP 50G is here" thread of a few days ago, and it got me wondering how many of us here in the forum are "aging fans" ? If this has been done before kindly point me to the archive.

I will be 50 years old in November. I have been using HP since 1985 or about 27 years. I am an 11th grade Algebra 2 Teacher. I use my HP for my own pleasure, benefit, and computation outside the class (the school MAKES me use the TI stuff, and not the good stuff either). We use TI 83 and 84 exclusively, though the math coach did order a dozen Nspire CX, not CAS.

How about you guys, same questions? Are you one of the "aging fans" too?

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #2 Posted by Matt Agajanian on 4 Aug 2012, 1:20 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

I'm 46 and have been using HP calculators since 1978. My HP-32E and HP-34C were the first pair in a loyal and long history of using and collecting HP calculators. And, thanks to eBay, I've been fortunate to acquire a superb collection of Classics, Woodstocks and Clamshells to fill in the gap that would complete my collection.

Edited: 4 Aug 2012, 1:22 a.m.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #3 Posted by Les Koller on 4 Aug 2012, 10:53 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Matt Agajanian

Ah hah! It is you that is always thwarting my bids at the last instant! LOL. That's where I get my calculators too.

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #4 Posted by Matt Agajanian on 4 Aug 2012, 2:16 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Les Koller

No hard feeling. Truth be told, some things like Jorge's TI-88 that went for well over 1,888.88 (or that 12C that went for 10K (yes, 10K) at another site) would be too rich for my wallet.

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #5 Posted by Dale Reed on 4 Aug 2012, 3:16 p.m.,
in response to message #3 by Les Koller

Nope, that would be me! ;-)

Of course, as I fill out the "easy" ones in my collection, it gets more and more difficult to find ones I don't have, in condition I can live with, at prices I "like".

(On the plus side, I'm spending money on them less often, which my spouse likes. A lot.)

I've found I have to get creative with the search tool. In one case, I found a listing where the seller misspelled one of the key words. (But I won't reveal how I found it!)

Edit: Yes, to be on-topic: Got my HP25 for my 18th birthday in December, 1975. (You can all do the math.) It has served me well in my engineering career, and has done way more for me than any junker car I might have gotten. And it's still working fine. The serial number (1512A23310) will be in my memory long after I forget less useful information, like my name, address and phone number.

Dale

Edited: 4 Aug 2012, 8:55 p.m. after one or more responses were posted

                        
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #6 Posted by Matt Agajanian on 4 Aug 2012, 3:31 p.m.,
in response to message #5 by Dale Reed

By the way, this reminds me of the member here who won a 71B not too long ago because of a typo.

                              
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #7 Posted by Harald on 4 Aug 2012, 4:35 p.m.,
in response to message #6 by Matt Agajanian

Yep, that would be me. The typo was in the amount I bid though, got the digits the wrong way round ;) But no harm done. I was quite lucky actually, as it came with two RAM modules that were a lot more valuable than I thought.

Edit: and to get back to the original topic here: I am 33 and have been using HPs for the last 22 to 23 years. Well a bit longer actually. Started playing with my dads HP25 a few years before that, but didn't really know what I was doing. Just very basic arithmetic and I loved "Moon Lander"! Funny thing is, back then I had figured out how to safely land on the moon in no time, but didn't understand the program. Today it is the other way round. I recently typed the program into my 25 after I had repaired it, and to my surprise couldn't remember the correct solution any more. Back in the day I stopped playing it, because I knew all the correct amounts of fuel to type in and it became boring...

Edited: 4 Aug 2012, 4:44 p.m.

                                    
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #8 Posted by Matt Agajanian on 6 Aug 2012, 2:36 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Harald

And I thought the typo was in the item's title line. I thought that the seller posted a 17B for sale with a photo of the 71B. Congratulations!

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #9 Posted by LMMT on 4 Aug 2012, 5:43 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

I am also 50 and my first HP calculator was the HP 28S. I bought it in 1987 and was incredible the amount of things it could (and still can) do, for example solving a linear sytem with complex terms. After that I bought almost every single calculator HP has manufactured, including some financials. What happened before 1987? I had to deal with a simple Casio and could only dream about buying and HP 41C, an HP 15C or even an HP 71B. Anyway my first contact with this brand was the HP 33E in 1978 and felt appealed by that strange and big ENTER key.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #10 Posted by Maximilian Hohmann on 4 Aug 2012, 6:25 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

Hello!

Quote:
I will be 50 years old in November.

Me too (what is the probability that it is the same day? Within a group of forum visitors of maybe 100 out of 2 or 3 billion internet users?). Just like my favourite movie actress who is two days older.

My first Hp calculator unfortunately came too late, because when I needed them most (at university) they were much too expensive in Europe. But I had the chance to use some of them during student jobs (best remembered is the HP-97). Later I wrote the first raw version of my ph.d. thesis on an HP150 touchscreen pc that I had acquired from an Hp employee but had to finish it in MS Word on a Macintosh because the word processor on the 150 ("HP Word PC") was compatible with nothing.

So now I collect but do not use Hp calculators. And therefore will only be interested in the latest models when they become collectors items. In twenty years or so. If I find one cheap I will buy it for the collection, but I'm in no hurry.

Regards, max

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #11 Posted by Les Koller on 4 Aug 2012, 10:50 a.m.,
in response to message #10 by Maximilian Hohmann

November 11 for me. Thanks for answering.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #12 Posted by Alexander Oestert on 5 Aug 2012, 7:36 a.m.,
in response to message #10 by Maximilian Hohmann

Quote:
Just like my favourite movie actress who is two days older.


So, we both like Jodie Foster!

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #13 Posted by Maximilian Hohmann on 5 Aug 2012, 11:27 a.m.,
in response to message #12 by Alexander Oestert

Quote:
So, we both like Jodie Foster!

I wrote this line because I had seen "Contact" the night before (not the first time ...).

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #14 Posted by Dave Britten on 4 Aug 2012, 8:30 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

I'm almost 30, and I think the 48SX and 200LX are just about the pinnacle of design. I think I'm the outlier.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #15 Posted by aurelio on 4 Aug 2012, 9:14 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

I'm 51 and my first HP was the 25C, a present of my father in 1977, who bought it for my studies and for his own job. The HP67 was at that time three time more expensive, for that reason the choice... When I found that the HP25 was the same calculator used by my electrical engineering teacher, Omero, at college, we became friends and past the time writing simple programs for problem's and exercise's resolution. how many times considering me lucky for the "continuous memory" in my calculator! But for this reason while tasks in classroom, it was banned and I HAD to become friend of a CASIO....so bothering without RPN

Edited: 4 Aug 2012, 10:22 a.m.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #16 Posted by Paul Berger (Canada) on 4 Aug 2012, 12:02 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

I am 54, when I started my electronic technician program in 1977 we where told that we had to have a calculator, and I probably looked at HPs at the time but decided they where too expensive and instead bought a Commodore PR100 because it was inexpensive and programmable, I still have it and it still works. My first HP was a 16C that I purchased in 1983 while I was taking a 370 assembler course it is still near me on my desk to this day. Mean time I had been drooling over the 41s and a couple years later bought a used 41C that had suffered a pretty severe battery leak, but I did manage to get it working and then I was hooked I now have about 25 HPs mostly 41s and newer.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #17 Posted by JimHorn on 4 Aug 2012, 4:34 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

59.5; first calculator was a just-announced HP-25 a month after I graduated from college (BSEE) as the only one in my class without a calculator. Why? Because I knew inexpensive programmables were coming and didn't want to blow the works on a non-programmable.

The '25 served me extremely well. I gave it to my younger brother Joe when the '67 arrived a year later. Then the '41 in 1979. The '41 served as my main calculator well into the 2000s.

Lotsa other HPs as well - at work: 11, 28C, 9825, 9835, 9836 (a favorite!). Of my own: 01, 75, 110, 97. Given to me (thank you, Joe, Cyrille and Dave!): 48S, 49G, 50g+, 20b => WP 34S, 38C.

My favorites? The 25, 67, 41 and 75 were very heavily used and written up. The 110 served as my go-to word processor and terminal for nearly 20 years - instant on and 20 hour battery life is still unbeatable. The 50 is still the pinnacle of capability. The HP-01 is still a stellar combination of style and function. And the WP 34S just plain blows me away.

But thanks to all on this forum for an unmatched community of support and friendship. Reminds me much of the early days of PPC, CHHU and such. And believe me, that's high praise!

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #18 Posted by Les Koller on 4 Aug 2012, 4:57 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

With 9 responses giving their age, we have 1 in 20's, 1 in 30's, 3 in 40's (and we're all close to the 50 mark!) and 4 already in the 50's. I bet if more people respond that the trend stays pretty much the same.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #19 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 4 Aug 2012, 5:51 p.m.,
in response to message #18 by Les Koller

51 since the second Pi Day this year (22/7), if this brings the average closer :-)

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #20 Posted by Jeff Kearns on 5 Aug 2012, 12:06 p.m.,
in response to message #18 by Les Koller

I am 47 and started using the 15C in '85, in my third year of Mechanical Engineering. It replaced my TI 55. The HP 15C was an invaluable tool to me, especially for its matrix handling capabilities. It has served me well ever since and has been all around the world!

I have over 20 different HP RPN models now (with a few duplicates) and 'try' to rotate them to prolong the delusion that I am first and foremost a user and not a collector... As time goes by, this is an increasingly difficult proposition to maintain, as are the batteries. There is only one more model I seek at this point to complement the HP 21 - the HP 29C. Can anyone tell me why I would/should consider the 25C over this model, other than price?

The finest of them all, in my opinion, is the HP 41C(V/X) design, with the various modules. My 2012 calculator goal is to convert one mine to a 41CL. Although I like the HP 48SX/GX (prefer the colour scheme and interface of the SX as it matches the 32sii and 42s) and the 50G, I just cannot seem to master RPL programming - another goal.

I think having a colour display on a dedicated handheld calculator is a bad idea given the present limitations of battery design/life.

Jeff

Edited: 5 Aug 2012, 12:07 p.m.

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #21 Posted by Harald on 5 Aug 2012, 2:41 p.m.,
in response to message #20 by Jeff Kearns

Quote:
There is only one more model I seek at this point to complement the HP 21 - the HP 29C. Can anyone tell me why I would/should consider the 25C over this model, other than price?

Sorry, but I can't think of any other reason than price.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #22 Posted by Eddie W. Shore on 4 Aug 2012, 5:09 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

Quote:
(new) Re: The Blue HP 50g has arrived. Message #18 Posted by Reth on 3 Aug 2012, 10:52 p.m., Report post, in response to message #16 by Ethan Conner

Quote: (HP 15C LE anyone?).... Also a dead horse.

True. And that's why HP shouldn't listen to the ageing fans driven by nostalgia. How many HP15C LE got sold comparing to the "bring back HP15C" petition?

======================================================================

The above was posted in the "Blue HP 50G is here" thread of a few days ago, and it got me wondering how many of us here in the forum are "aging fans" ? If this has been done before kindly point me to the archive.

I will be 50 years old in November. I have been using HP since 1985 or about 27 years. I am an 11th grade Algebra 2 Teacher. I use my HP for my own pleasure, benefit, and computation outside the class (the school MAKES me use the TI stuff, and not the good stuff either). We use TI 83 and 84 exclusively, though the math coach did order a dozen Nspire CX, not CAS.

How about you guys, same questions? Are you one of the "aging fans" too?


I am 35 years young Les. My birthday is March 14.

Edited: 4 Aug 2012, 5:10 p.m.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #23 Posted by Oliver Unter Ecker on 4 Aug 2012, 6:10 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

44.

Edited: 4 Aug 2012, 7:40 p.m. after one or more responses were posted

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #24 Posted by LHH on 4 Aug 2012, 7:16 p.m.,
in response to message #23 by Oliver Unter Ecker

65 here, you young whipper-snappers!

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #25 Posted by Nick R on 4 Aug 2012, 7:39 p.m.,
in response to message #24 by LHH

I'm 60, and first got to use an HP35 in 1973. I was a diehard fan of HP RPN calculators from that point on right up until I (briefly) owned an HP35S.

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #26 Posted by cheyenne whitley on 5 Aug 2012, 4:04 p.m.,
in response to message #24 by LHH

Quote:
65 here, you young whipper-snappers!

Who you calling young whipper-snappers?

I'm 81+ and have been using HP 41s since discontinuing use of my K+E Log-Log Duplex Decitrig.

                        
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #27 Posted by Les Koller on 5 Aug 2012, 7:47 p.m.,
in response to message #26 by cheyenne whitley

Ding ding ding....We have a winner!

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #28 Posted by Les Bell on 4 Aug 2012, 9:07 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

Quote:
How about you guys, same questions? Are you one of the "aging fans" too?

57, but I don't know about this "aging" business. I bought my first HP - a 45 - in 1974, and while I admire the underlying philosophy and quality of the traditional HP designs, I'm not a collector, just a user. These days, I'm a PhD student, and I still use my 41CX, 15CLE and 34S on a fairly regular basis in my work. Quite simply, I have major trouble using an algebraic calculator, so without an RPN calculator, I'd be lost.

If worse comes to worst and all of my small collection die, I'll be reduced to emulations on a phone or tablet (Free42 and go41c seem to fit my needs nicely on the Google Nexus 7).

Best,

--- Les
[http://www.lesbell.com.au]

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #29 Posted by Reth on 4 Aug 2012, 9:42 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

I, the culprit, 56, March 12, HP41C - first blood, still have it, still love it. That's what I call nostalgia.

I'm sure we did this sort of counting before ;)

I guess some of "bring back 15c" supporters moved on to better place, others were unrealistic in their statements blinded by the same nostalgia. I signed it too - to buy 1 so I did. IMO HP could do better with 15c simply by replacing the screen and those ridiculous programming digit codes.

Edited: 4 Aug 2012, 9:47 p.m.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #30 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 4 Aug 2012, 10:40 p.m.,
in response to message #29 by Reth

Quote:
I'm sure we did this sort of counting before ;)

Yes, we did. Here's a summary by Giancarlo:

http://www.hpmuseum.org/guest/giancar/whererwe.pdf

Somewhat outdated, I guess.

Quote:
I signed it too - to buy 1 so I did.

I said I would buy three and so I did, but I have only one left.

Quote:
IMO HP could do better with 15c simply by replacing the screen and those ridiculous programming digit codes.

I would be pleased with a bugless firmware only. The HP-15C was my first HP calculator, back in '83, so I don't think the numeric programming codes are ridiculous, that's what could be done with a 7-segment display. I still can decode them as easily as I can read the corresponding alphanumeric listing. Had my first HP calculator been an HP-41C I would find the numeric codes ridiculous too, I have to agree :-) I remember the HP-41C was too expensive here in Brazil, at least twice as much when compared to the rest of the world. Anyway the HP-15C was so nice I stayed with it until the HP-28S came out.

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #31 Posted by Alexander Oestert on 5 Aug 2012, 7:41 a.m.,
in response to message #30 by Gerson W. Barbosa

Quote:

I would be pleased with a bugless firmware only.


Me too. And until that occurs I will not be purchasing any new 39GII or blue 50G or whatever! I'll stick to the old ones and the new re-purposed ones.

BTW, I'm 46.

Edited: 5 Aug 2012, 2:06 p.m.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #32 Posted by Dave Shaffer (Arizona) on 4 Aug 2012, 10:27 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

I think I'm now the oldest to check in (so far): 66 and have been using HP calculators from just about their day one.

I was introduced to the HP35 very shortly after it came out: Christmas of 1972 I was home from grad school and used my Dad's '35 to do a bunch of thesis calculations. (He's a mechanical engineer, and I hope to get my hands on his '97 when he no longer (at age 93!) needs it. He does not visit here, but if he did, he just might qualify as the oldest '35 user around.) The Caltech radio astronomy observatory acquired a 9100 (A or B, I just don't remember) around 1970, so I was already somewhat familiar with HP RPN.

I got my own HP35 in the spring of 1973, when the price first dropped to (only) $295 - that was more than a month of grad student stipend, but it was all the rage at Caltech amongst the grad students (and, I presume, faculty). I still have it, but now use a 35S as my daily driver, with occasional use of my 11C and/or 41CX. I'm now retired, but the 35, 11C, and 41CX were used daily throughout my astronomy career (research & teaching), and some traveled far afield: Russia, Italy, Brazil, Chile, and Japan.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #33 Posted by Les Bell on 5 Aug 2012, 12:01 a.m.,
in response to message #32 by Dave Shaffer (Arizona)

Quote:
The Caltech radio astronomy observatory acquired a 9100 (A or B, I just don't remember) around 1970, so I was already somewhat familiar with HP RPN.

Quite a contrast to the requirements of the Square Kilometre Array, which will require supercomputers capable of processing an exabyte of new data every day: http://www.skatelescope.org/the-technology/software-and-computing/.

Best,

--- Les
[http://www.lesbell.com.au]

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #34 Posted by David Ramsey on 5 Aug 2012, 12:46 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

56. Saved for months to get an HP-45 in college in 1976. $400, as I recall...

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #35 Posted by Les Koller on 5 Aug 2012, 1:49 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

I got my first HP, the 15C, Sometime in 1985.  I sold it around 2000. When I found that mint 48GX at the flea market for 25 bucks, I bought it and fell in love all over again with HP.  Since then I have purchased a 50G, 49G, and 39Gii.  I'll be 50 in November. I figured most HP user would be 50 to 60-something years old. I also figured there would be a really drastic drop-off as the age got younger. So far with 19 people responding we have

20-somethings = 1 = 5.26% 30-somethings = 2 = 10.53% 40 = 4 = 25.05% 50 = 9 = 47.37% 60+ = 3 = 15.79%

That's pretty much how I figured it would turn out.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #36 Posted by Les Koller on 5 Aug 2012, 1:52 a.m.,
in response to message #35 by Les Koller

Post left out some of the calculators. 50G 48GX 49G 39GS 15C

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #37 Posted by Walter B on 5 Aug 2012, 3:25 a.m.,
in response to message #36 by Les Koller

Add one 50+ who started with a 25C :-)

And cut two insignificant decimals in your percent values for heavens sake :-/ Are you using Excel?

                        
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #38 Posted by Ethan Conner on 5 Aug 2012, 9:36 a.m.,
in response to message #37 by Walter B

He's a math teacher........what do you expect? :) or maybe it was "f FIX 2". Put me in the 40-ish category please.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #39 Posted by Hans-Erik Lehndal on 5 Aug 2012, 3:03 a.m.,
in response to message #35 by Les Koller

Add a 59 year old Swede who started out with a HP25 when they arrived at the Swedish market (robbing me of a fortune). I was hooked on the HP train and have remained reasonable faithful to the HP line.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #40 Posted by Bart (UK) on 5 Aug 2012, 10:16 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

I'm 46. My fisrt HP was the 28C, later replaced by the 28S which I used up to 2006 when a catastrophic fall on a hard floor broke the battery door. Now there are several calculators I use regularly: 50g, 35s and WP34s. I've also started collecting a few, including non-HP models.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #41 Posted by Hans-Peter Bieger on 5 Aug 2012, 2:18 p.m.,
in response to message #40 by Bart (UK)

50, I started with a 41c 1980. One year later, I had the whole add-ons from printer to wand:-) My TI collection contains TI30,51,57,58,59,85 and 95. The HP part is filled with 35,45,21,22,25,32,37,41cv,28,48sx,35s and three 34s. I try to use them in a daily usage.

Hans-Peter

Edited: 5 Aug 2012, 3:24 p.m.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #42 Posted by Les Koller on 5 Aug 2012, 2:22 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

25 responses.  This probably will end the thread. Results are now

20's 1 4% 30's 2 8% 40's 9 36% 50's 10 40% 60's 3 12%

I was really hoping for 1 or 2 more so the denominator would not be 25. Then I was going to print the percentages to 12 digits, just to see if I could hear Walter B moaning from here! LOL Just kidding WB.

I wonder if the numbers suggest that old fogies prefer HP calculators, or do old fogies with HP's prefer a public forum where they can brag/cry/moan/get help re: their calculators. I suspect it is a little of both.

Edited: 5 Aug 2012, 2:25 p.m.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #43 Posted by LHH on 5 Aug 2012, 5:48 p.m.,
in response to message #42 by Les Koller

You've missed Cheyenne Whitley, 81+!

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #44 Posted by Gerson W. Barbosa on 5 Aug 2012, 7:04 p.m.,
in response to message #43 by LHH

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

A few more data and we'll have a perfect bell curve here :-)

Edited to update the plot

Edited: 9 Aug 2012, 12:20 a.m. after one or more responses were posted

                        
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #45 Posted by Les Koller on 5 Aug 2012, 7:50 p.m.,
in response to message #44 by Gerson W. Barbosa

I didn't bother to sketch the curve, but I could tell that from the data too. Maybe a few more will still chime in.

                        
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #46 Posted by Peter Murphy (Livermore) on 5 Aug 2012, 8:26 p.m.,
in response to message #44 by Gerson W. Barbosa

75.

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #47 Posted by Les Koller on 5 Aug 2012, 7:48 p.m.,
in response to message #43 by LHH

Just saw that, how cool is that?

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #48 Posted by JimP on 5 Aug 2012, 8:34 p.m.,
in response to message #42 by Les Koller

52. Now... if only I could say my first calculator was an SR-52... but no, back then it was unaffordable.

First HP was actually the 48G after getting sick of equals signs.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #49 Posted by Palmer O. Hanson, Jr. on 6 Aug 2012, 2:25 a.m.,
in response to message #42 by Les Koller

83 - at the tail end of the greatest generation.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #50 Posted by Paulo MO on 6 Aug 2012, 4:16 p.m.,
in response to message #42 by Les Koller

If one more does the trick, here you go:

I'm 50 (born on Nov 11th, 1961).

Started on HP's with a 15C, while getting my MSc (after having had a TI-1200, a Novus 4510, a SR51A, a TI58, and a TI58C)

Your denominator just increased ;-)

Best

Paulo

Edited: 6 Aug 2012, 6:27 p.m.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #51 Posted by james summers on 6 Aug 2012, 3:27 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

50 (and nearly 51!) here but a late-comer to HP. When I was at school in Zimbabwe and calculators were just becoming available HPs were way out of my (and my parents') price league (sanctions didn't help the availability) so I had an early Sharp Elsi-mate 4banger (with the green vacuum fluorescent display) and when that got stolen moved on to my first scientific, an Imperial 88T (I think) and a Sinclair Cambridge. One of our science teachers had a Woodstock (probably a 25) which had a great mystique about it with, so it seemed, millions of functions per key, and a strange operating system with no equals sign. When we moved to the UK and I started at university, I got a TI-58 (mainly due to it being way cheaper than an HP) which was fine apart from the typical keyboard problems, and the solid state software modules compensated a bit for the volatile memory. Thereafter, having moved into accountancy, I had a series of Casios, until the last one's batteries went. Rather than getting new batteries, and remembering my teacher's HP, I thought I would get a new HP, had a look at what was on offer but they didn't really appeal, found the Museum and Ebay and got a 41CV. Hasn't stopped there, and now have a number of classic HPs. Mainly use one of my Voyagers for daily use as they fit nicely in my jacket pocket, but am currently using a 30B which, when I get the time, will be flashed to a 34S and a crystal, etc installed.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #52 Posted by David Tellet on 6 Aug 2012, 10:57 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

54. Couldn't afford HP during college but always wanted a 15C. Finally got a 28C in '88, an 11C a few years ago, the 35S, then bought two 15C LE's.

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #53 Posted by Andreas Grund on 6 Aug 2012, 12:11 p.m.,
in response to message #52 by David Tellet

62. In 1973 I used first time a HP-35 at university, borrowed, out of reach for a student. Later, I bought an HP-25, got an HP-41CV with card reader at work (my favorite to calculate chemical reactions kinetics, vapor-liquid equilibria and distillations columns with own programs). Meanwhile, several HP-32sII, HP-42s, HP-33E, HP-21, HP-35, HP-45, HP-28C, not to forget the new stuff HP-35s, HP-20b, HP-30b (converted into a WP-34s) and finally the HP-15CLE got added, almost all operational. I still work with them on a daily basis in my job, although my calculations needs are more basic meanwhile. To make it short, there is no life for me without RPN....

                  
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #54 Posted by Tom Lianza on 6 Aug 2012, 4:34 p.m.,
in response to message #53 by Andreas Grund

59 years old. Waited on line at the HP field for my first HP35 in 1972....since then hp45, hp67, hp41cv, hp28s, hp48, etc.... I have a complete collection at www.tomlianza.com.

                        
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #55 Posted by Katie Wasserman on 7 Aug 2012, 2:28 p.m.,
in response to message #54 by Tom Lianza

Hi Tom, I haven't seen you here in ages.

I'll join in: 55 YO, ordered an HP-35 as soon as they came out but just missed getting a red-dot. Then I bought a 11C and 16C when they first came too. Now's it's mostly a collecting hobby for me but still use several different ones in a typical day.

                              
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #56 Posted by Tom Lianza on 8 Aug 2012, 7:08 p.m.,
in response to message #55 by Katie Wasserman

We should get back in touch with one another again. I'm still up here in New Hampshire. Very busy with work, but I just rebuilt a bunch of batteries for the HP-calcs.... I will be working on a Wang system this winter....

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #57 Posted by x34 on 7 Aug 2012, 2:48 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

47. My first was Soviet RPN programmable, B3-34 in 1979. My first HP was 11C in 1988.

      
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #58 Posted by Thomas Okken on 7 Aug 2012, 7:23 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Les Koller

Aging fan here. 47 years old, been using HP calculators since 1977 (HP-25).

            
Re: Who uses the HP Demographic
Message #59 Posted by Jon S Canale on 7 Aug 2012, 10:24 p.m.,
in response to message #58 by Thomas Okken

58+. First exposure- HP45 in 1972? First HP-25c in 1977? Died 3yrs later (I still have it), then HP-11c (still going strong), a 32sii, and a 35s. Can't stand the keyboards on a couple of TI's I've had over the years.


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