DM32 program byte counts

[Joe Horn]

(06-01-2023 05:58 PM)Maximilian Hohmann Wrote:  Hello!

(05-31-2023 08:48 PM)Joe Horn Wrote:  Unlike the HP 32SII, which used exactly 1.5 bytes for every program step (except for literal numbers and equations), the DM32 uses only 1 byte for most program steps...

As much as I appreciate the research of Joe Horn for it's historical value I must say that I am soooo glad that memory size does not matter any longer when writing programs.

The latter is not true, and my posting has more than historical value. You are assuming that the only use of my byte count information is saving memory. You are forgetting the many other values of knowing the internal format of programs and data. "Synthetic Programming", which added powerful and fun functionality to the HP-41, would have been impossible without knowing the exact internal structure of HP-41 programs. Nobody has mentioned it yet, but I predict that synthetic programming will also become A Real Thing on the DM32.

Another real use of byte count information is for optimizing programs' SPEED. I even gave an example of that at the end of my posting above. No, that's not an obsolete idea either, because when a program contains iterative loops, especially nested loops, even a tiny bit of optimization can have a huge impact on total execution time.

Also, it's FUN to delve deeply into these machines, and wrap one's mind around their inner workings. It's one real way for our minds to make direct contact with the minds of the brilliant engineers who created them. We don't ask what's the practical use of the paintings in an art museum; the enjoyment of them fully justifies their existence. I feel exactly the same way about mathematics and computer programming.