Multiline HP15C

[rprosperi]

(06-11-2018 08:47 AM)Steve Simpkin Wrote:  Can anyone confirm that System RPL was used as the internal programming development language for *all* Saturn based HPs (including the entire Pioneer series)? I believe this to be the case but I can't seem to find documented confirmation of this.

SysRPL, which evolved from HP-71 Forth, was created to be used exactly how you suggest, but I've heard/read that most of the Pioneers (and probably also the Champion machines) needed to have some to significant portions implemented in assembler. Specifically, the 42S was mostly assembler, no doubt due to it's advanced needs for things like fast complex number and matrix support.

The 48, then 49 and ultimately 50 series machines probably were able to revert to mostly SysRPL (though they all have many portions in assembler as well) due to the significantly higher CPU clock speeds, and of course eventually the ARM layer emulation.

Sources: Some of these comments came from developers at the time (at HHC conferences) and IIRC, the info on the 42S is from Christoph's examination of the 42S ROM. So mostly anecdotal, but probably also true.