Slashdot Mirror
The Future of RPN Calculators
Noksagt writes "HP's recent release of the 33s won't be the last RPN calculator. Former HPers at Hydrix are hyping an impressive Linux-based PDA/calculator, named Qonos. They have a survey up regarding features, etc. More information can be found at comp.sys.hp48 or The Museum of HP Calculators.
A new open hardware project called OpenRPN has also begun. Their mission is to produce horizontal and vertical format scientific RPN calcs and later a graphing calc."
Q'onos? Isn't that like the Klingon homeworld or something?
Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
Surely it should be
RPN Calculators Future of the
Other obligatory comments:
Is it just me, or does that have the same ring as "fuel/air explosive-based cigarette lighter"?
As a high school student, I loved my HP "Reverse Polish Notation" calculator. Whenever someone would ask to borrow it, I would say, "Sure, you just have to remember that if you want to add 4+2 you have to enter '4', 'Enter', '2', 'Plus'."
This scared everyone away, and they went on to borrow someone else's calculator. I didn't have any trouble with people "forgetting" to return the calculator, I still have it to this day. Thanks, HP!
Great. Here come the TI/HP flamewars.
I've got a hp48gx and always suffer from this kind of situation:
- hey, can you lend me your calculator?
- no, you won't know how to use it.
- yes I will.
- ok, if you really want.
- [1] [+]: + Error: Too Few Arguments hey it's not working!
- I told you...
No worries about spelling, either. :)
:)
The modern calculator should be able to handle easy RGB triplet to hex conversion, as well as IP xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 'Bruce' format (I can't remember what that format is called, so I just refer to it as Bruce to save confusion) to 32-bit format.
Oh yeah, and a built-in function for calculating the air speed velocity of laden and unladen African and European swallows, based on various factors such as wind speed, elevation (density of air, ya know), age & weight of birds and any burden they may be carrying. Granted, even with that, it won't be all THAT accurate, but it's better than clacking two coconuts together
Oh, it should also have built-in 802.11g WiFi & IEEE1394.b.
And If I can use it to control the TV remotely, that'd be great, thanks.
I still prefer the physical format of my trusty HP11C, but then again, I don't need graphing ability in my calculator. Graphing's for nerds.
that means one more 1st year engineering student hazing ritual down the tubes. First the slide rule and now RPN calculators. What's next?!?
Dotted quad, thaaaaat's what I was trying to remember.
Another good feature of the calc would be to enter either an RGB triplet or a hex colour code and have it find the nearest web-safe palette colours (on either side). That'd be just dandy.
And built-in unit conversions wouldn't hurt. Volkswagens to other volumetric measurements, football fields to meters, and whatnot. And hogsheads, don't forget the hogsheads! And 'stones,' so we can figure out how much Bridget Jones weighs in the upcoming sequel.
And hands, so we can figure out how tall horses are. And what with the petrol crisis in the U.S., dollars per gallon to pounds per liter (or Euros per litre), just for comparison. I'm told those in Europe would be pretty happy to be able to get gas for 'only' US$2.35/gallon. Yikes.
Anyway.
adjectives prepositions and rules RPN follow not should why?
What is really scary is that I read that sentence without noticing anything wrong with it. I guess that's what happens to RPN users...
My junior year of high school, I was rushing off to take the ACTs (like the SATs) and either I couldn't find my calculator, or it wasn't allowed. I ransacked the house, and came up with two calculators: a little four-function calculator my mom used for balancing the checkbook, and my dad's HP (I think it was an 11c). Of course I took the HP, and I was well into the test before I realized that it was "broken." Luckily the math was easy enough that I didn't really need it, but I was sweating when I first tried to use it (45 * 32 Enter)
Cache Rules Everything Around Me
A lot of people (scarily, possibly even the majority) graduate high school without really being able to add 17/28 + 87/98
It's 1.4948979591836734693877551020408.