The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

Post by georgefrowny » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 4:42 AM UTC

mintplant wrote: post #53

Super cool! But I so rarely reach for the physical calculators I already have these days. Any recommendations on RPN calculators for Windows or Android? The one I've got on my phone right now has some little quirks that bug me.

  1
  2
  + (->3)
  9
  + (->12)...no wait I meant 99
  ...uhhh what did I just do...9?
  9
  -

Post by volemo » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 7:57 AM UTC

anthk wrote: post #86

jwr wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A physical calculator is a tool, so is your python interpreter, but they are different tools for different purposes. Mathematica does everything your python interpreter does and more — but that doesn't mean python becomes useless because of that. It's good for certain things, while Mathematica is good for other things. Similarly with calculators (especially HP calculators), which have become a bit of a lost art (an e…

GNU Maxima it's the best of both grounds.

Post by fouc » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 8:43 AM UTC

speedgoose wrote: post #31

I think I will stick with a TI-89. No RPN, but that’s not necessarily a problem. More importantly, it has a CAS (Computer Algebra System). I wonder why CAS aren’t more common on such calculators. The technology exists since decades and it’s great. I know it’s not allowed in some school exams, but calculators already have exam modes.

Post by shawn_w » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 8:55 AM UTC

defrost wrote: post #104

volemo wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maxima isn't a GNU package, is it?

It's forked from MacSyma and released under a GNU General Public License (GPL). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxima_(software) Cayley (1975–1993), now Magma, predates it somewhat and has recently been used to crack post Quantum cryptography candidates. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1089355.1089359 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magma_(computer_algebra_system...

Post by jwr » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 12:38 PM UTC

anthk wrote: post #86

jwr wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A physical calculator is a tool, so is your python interpreter, but they are different tools for different purposes. Mathematica does everything your python interpreter does and more — but that doesn't mean python becomes useless because of that. It's good for certain things, while Mathematica is good for other things. Similarly with calculators (especially HP calculators), which have become a bit of a lost art (an e…

GNU Maxima it's the best of both grounds.