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HP RPN Calculators

gar

Stainless
Joined
Feb 17, 2005
Location
Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
060310-1735 EST USA

In the past I found HP calculators to be the most useful in two ways ---

(1) The use of RPN (Reverse Polish Notation). This provides more logical and efficient data entry than the so called algebraic method. Fewer key strokes and more intuitive.

(2) The keytop size (small) relative to the center-to-center key spacing was such that you made few data entry errors.

The 32S for example and prior were good. New HP units are what I would classify as junk. Designed by marketing people and not users, or engineers.

I would like to see HP go back to making a basic useful calculator. How do others feel about this?

I have used only HP calculators since the second model they made. A year or so ago I bought up about 3 of the 32Ss before they became unavailable so as to have a stock for some period.

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I always hated the HP despite it being the "engineer's calculator".

I can usually estimate in my head or bang out a quick calculation on a $9 casio. Pencil behind my ear and scratch paper in the shop....my work usually isn't splitting atoms on paper though.

Ann Arbor....what a mecca. Got 18 years in before it was time to go.
 
Once you go ti-89 (and read the manual) you'll never, ever go back to anything else. Far and away the best $150 I've spent in my entire life. I bought mine pre-release in 1998 and its still trucking along.
 
What's more basic than the good old HP 12-C? That's what sits on the desk at home. Here at work, I've got a 41-CX that's 20 years old. I've got 2 engineering Co-ops that marvel at the antique. A 20 year old calculator that does everything that their fancy new TIs do.

Besides still making the 12, the 17, 33, 48, and 49 all will run RPN. After using an RPN calculator, I can't handle an = key.
JR
 
My friend had an HP35...WONDERFUL machine.

I, however cannot get beyond algebraic style entry and equations.

HENCE the HP20S (Scientific) The tactile feel only HP has, room enough for FAT FINGER input, straight input as you read the formula, programmable to 100 steps, only wish it could directly convert to mm rather than cm.

More power than I'll ever use.

Check it out
 
Everyone know that only HP RPN calculators and the people who can run them in the field one handed without looking have an iota of practical merit in engineering. The weenies enslaved by the equals sign should stick to counting peicils in the stockroom and writing dress code memos and let the productive staff (HP RPN bozos) get on with the real work.

Who haven't I offended so far? Speak up. I wanna give a slow burn to everyone.
 
Possible alternative: RPN shareware application on a Palm. Works for me, but real buttons are much better.

I still have my HP 41-C here at work. It's not exactly original, because I had a battery leak years ago and HP swapped most of the guts. I pray that never happens again.

I don't program it much at all any more. Mathematica and (gasp) Excel are much better for the sorts of tasks I used to program on my HP.

Was it the HP21 or HP 33 that was a real dog?
 
I am an engineer. I have used HP calculators since the HP 35 many years ago. Let's see, I have a 35, a 97 (desktop version of the 67), an 11C, and a pair of 48's. No, I don't use all the functions on the 48, but it is still a very useful calculator. My son has a 48GX.

The really nice thing about the 48 (besides it's intimidating size) is the 4 line display, so one knows what is in the first lines of the stack.

I don't know how to use algebraic notation. It may be useful if you are trying to do 2+3, but if you are trying to do a/sqrt(b+c), things get a bit more complex. With RPN, no problem!

The trouble is that hp is now run by marketing types, not engineers. Even though Carly whatshername was fired ignominisly, her severance payment would buy a lot of machine tools, new, from US manufacturers, or very good used ones.

Of course, that may be part of the problem, we are more interested in marketing than making.

Thermo1
 
Tell me about it. Once you go RPN you never go back.

I had a 32C for 4 years in high school and it died my Junior year of engineering school (during an exam). I bought a 48 sx and still use it - 12 years later.
 
Run a HP48SX daily, sort of replaced most recently by HP48 emulator on a PDA. Also have an HP21.

My brain can figure out complex problems with RPN but fails at its job with algebraic entry ... gotta think too hard ;)

Here's a good site: www.hpmuseum.org

and another collection of stuff: www.hpcalc.org

The older calculators, like the HP48, were made in USA and have keyboard and feel that will not be equaled for a while, if ever, until someone tells China how to make them that way.

The double shot molded keys of the older HPs will last for eons compared to the cheap mold, pad stamped stuff that's out there now.

But then again, at close to $300 in the past, how many people really want to spend 2 - 3 times that now to get the mechanical quality?

Den
 
I have three HP48's - a 48SX that's over 15 years old (and been thru the wringer - dropped more times than I can count, and even been driven over by a backhoe! :eek: but keeps going :D ), and a 48G, and 48GX; and also have the emulator loaded on all my Macs... and you can take them away when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers!

I haven't had a chance to play with a 48GII yet, though - so I don't know how the quality compares to the older style unit...
 
My son got his HP 48 in high school. He found another advantage: few high school students know RPN, so nobody wanted to borrow his calculator.

Thermo1
 
Long live the HP 41 series. Unfortunately, my 41C disappeared during my last move. I still have the PPC rom for it somewhere. In school I was writing down answers while the others will still checking if their junk TI 59 gave them 0,1,or 2 digits when they pushed the buttons. The feel and reliability of the HP keypad is unsurpassed.

For those of you who don't understand, HP was like a Starrett, TI was at best a Fowler, and the others were from harbor freight.
 
RPN was an eyeopener when I learned it many years ago. I liked it from the start, and have missed it. My present calculator is an HP22S Scientific, an equals-sign-button job. I had though that RPN was gone, but from comments above, apparently not. I would be grateful if someone would post a listing of specific calculator makes/models that one can buy today that use it. I will go shopping tomorrow.
 
Surprising for the era but many accessoies I have seen for the hp 41 series were made in singapor . It would seem that HP led the way in electronic out sourcing starting in the seventies. That being said the HP 41 calculator was a extremly well built calculator that is still in demand 25 years later. Check ebay for what these old calculators bring and you may be surprised at how in demand they actualy are. I have sold a number of the 41 series in the past couple months and been very pleased with the results
 








 
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