(12-17-2017 03:19 PM)pier4r Wrote: Alongside the ongoing thread about which calculator you own, it would be interesting also to know how you use them (now or in the past, if you used them at all).
Of course even if you report the usage of one calculator it is enough, you don't have to list them all.
I searched with google on hpmuseum.org and I got very little results, although interesting. If you want to try yourself my search string was: site:hpmuseum.org use calculator . Hence I think that a new topic, that hopefully won't be limited in time, may be interesting.
pier4r:
Real calculators:
- ti 34 (1987) to compute some stats on the monthly expenses. At the moment nothing more. Typing long formulas without the ability to see the formula typed is really frustrating.
- sharp 506w to refresh some math and help me poke around some formulas to get an idea how they work. Also it is the preferred device for simple computations due to the possibility to review the formulas.
- ti nspire handheld: tried to use lua without TI software. It is possible (and it is quite fast) but very clumsy. In storage.
- ti 89. used very a little. I will have to check it if I have time.
- hp 50g. In the past I used to solve some math problems for the university, to understand them better. Now it is mostly programming as mental exercise and refreshing some math. Furthermore I started, thanks to the 50g storage capabilities and the amazing standard library of RPL commands, to collect data about how I value my actions. This project is a life long project so the 50g will always work unless I get bored.
- hp50g no 2. For newRPL, for tasks where userRPL is too slow.
Virtual calculators
- hp prime (windows, android). Planned to do some intensive simulations (about bitcoin price for example) since it can run easily on different devices, but not yet started. The idea is to have a programmable math environment geared towards math functions with enough memory that can run on different devices. The strong point is that it can run on android devices that are fanless (and mobile, plenty and powerful) without much effort on my side.
This instead of finding scientific libraries for this or that programming language that then may not run (or they are unavailable) for the same programming language on another OS. The HPPL is quite appealing since it resembles Pascal.
- free42. I check from time to time if it can replace the 506w, but so far aside from simple calculations, the 506w seems more practical (mainly due to the tacticle feeling).
Wow, Great question.
HP-65 - 1976-1978 - Used it to learn programming. Math calculations and general stuff since I was an engineering assistant at a civil engineering firm
hp-67 1978-1980 same as above. Enjoyed additional memory and more advanced programning
HP-41c - 1980-1987 - data entry simulation, data capture and data analysis for my MS degree (compared Algebraic and RPB entry methods). Also did various statistical and data analysis functions as a research Psychologist at Bell Labs.
HP12c,15c - 1987-2000 general use
HP-42s - 2000-2012 general use
2013 - rediscovered HP calcs. Built up collection, rotated thru HP-35, HP-45, HP-65, HP-67, HP-41*, 11,12,15,16, 42s
What a long strange trip it's been.
.....Art