The programmable calculator the HP-30b should have been

[Joseph_21sv]

(08-31-2014 09:24 PM)Thomas Radtke Wrote:  I put it this way: Just once needed to program the 30b, I was surprised I could access the TVM variables. Everything went smooth, programmability reflected what I was needing. So, in my limited view on the 30b it is as good as I need it to be. It was even better than expected.

More memory means more programs means more grey matter based memory needed to remember what all those programs are for ;-). Just kidding, I understand your point, of course.

But don’t you agree that the 30b smacks more of programmable calculator firmware for the 20b than a calculator of its own? I mean, it needs a keyboard overlay to indicate where all the programming functions are because they are all accessible by a shift key—sort of makes one wonder why HP bothered to give it programmability at all, much more a programming model similar to that of the 35s and 150+% of the program capacity of the original 12c.