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What Is RPN? Why Did/Does HP Use RPN? Learning RPN (1999)

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Re: What Is RPN? Why Did/Does HP Use RPN? Learning RPN (1999)

#61

Post by xoa »

Aardwolf wrote: post #48
mtalantikite wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For whatever reason my high school had HP48s for my junior year math class, which got replaced the following year for TIs since “that’s what you’ll be using in college”. I much preferred the RPN and ended up convincing my parents my life would be easier with a new HP49g (which wasn’t a lie, it was). That thing helped get me through my math major and I’ll always remember my old school professor who taught my complex a…

The HP48s has a much nicer keyboard than the HP49g though! HP48gx may have been a suitable upgrade instead :)

With the GX (which I got, and it still works) you could run metakernel [0], which itself was one heck of an upgrade over the base system and really an unbelievably impressive effort in its own right. It pushed the hardware so much farther it's still stunning. The HP48 remains one of my favorite calculation devices ever, with a great ratio of utility for both the most simple brainstorming calculations and going right into great depth. I'm still bummed my favorite emulator for iOS devices (m48+) stopped getting updates and faded away, and also that HP let its calculator division languish. What a tool.

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0: https://www.hpcalc.org/hp48/apps/mk/mk.php

Re: What Is RPN? Why Did/Does HP Use RPN? Learning RPN (1999)

#62

Post by hamburglar »

bestham wrote: post #3

Every time I end up on a non-rpn calculator I struggle to convert the calculation I have in my head to use infix operators.

Same here. I can’t really tell if it’s bias because I am very comfortable with RPN, but another of the benefits of RPN is that it seems much easier to build up a complex computation on the fly without having to backtrack and add parentheses, which on most calculators means you have to start over. With an infix calculator, I have to plan the whole thing out precisely before I even begin entering it, whereas RPN feels like a “streaming” translation that is very easy.

Re: What Is RPN? Why Did/Does HP Use RPN? Learning RPN (1999)

#63

Post by joezydeco »

abawany wrote: post #60
bitwize wrote: post #47

There's an open-source Android app called Droid48 that gives you a virtual HP48, if you're into that sort of thing. I know when I'm out with coworkers and they whip out Droid48 to calculate the tip, I picked a good place to work.

For ios, I've used Free42 and i48 (Daniel Parnell).

I own an actual 42S and I prefer Free42.

Re: What Is RPN? Why Did/Does HP Use RPN? Learning RPN (1999)

#67

Post by fifilura »

Animats wrote: post #12

I have an original HP-11C on my desk. It's about 30 years old, works perfectly, and I've had to replace the batteries about once a decade.

I also keep my HP32S RPN from 25 years ago on my desk still.

The combination of HP quality build and RPN.

Not a chance that I would have allowed anything less waste my desk space

Re: What Is RPN? Why Did/Does HP Use RPN? Learning RPN (1999)

#68

Post by macintux »

pcardoso wrote: post #39

When I was starting my degree (around 96) I went to the US for a week and bought a HP48Gx since they were cheaper there. This happened a few weeks after a Swiss jet crashed departing NY and the reasons were not known at the time so the airport staff was very suspicious. When they saw the calculator and tried to do a simple test calculation and failed, I struggled to explain how use it, since it was also so new to me.…

Reminds me of the story of someone who took a Linux laptop through security; they wanted to see it boot, but didn't recognize the command line and were suspicious.

The owner set PS1 to resemble a DOS shell prompt and they were satisfied.

Re: What Is RPN? Why Did/Does HP Use RPN? Learning RPN (1999)

#69

Post by macintux »

aseerdbnarng wrote: post #13

I was forced to use an HP12C as part of my university degree. Once you get used to RPN it’s quite uncomfortable to switch back. It’s a much more intuitive way to do math once you get over the small hurdle. 15 years later and I’m still using the same calculator!

I took an exam many years ago that required a non-programmable calculator; I told the instructor I literally had no idea how to use a non-RPN calculator any more and she was fine with me using my HP-15.

Sadly my collection of HP and other RPN calculators (there are a few) was stolen two years ago.

Re: What Is RPN? Why Did/Does HP Use RPN? Learning RPN (1999)

#70

Post by machinelabo »

aseerdbnarng wrote: post #13

I was forced to use an HP12C as part of my university degree. Once you get used to RPN it’s quite uncomfortable to switch back. It’s a much more intuitive way to do math once you get over the small hurdle. 15 years later and I’m still using the same calculator!

I don’t think it’s more intuitive. It’s just that you’re used to it.
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