What's your favorite non-RPN HP?

[Joe Horn]

HP-71B, the only non-RPN HP calculator that I liked well enough to write a book about it. And for those who like RPN, the 71B could be turned into an RPN calculator the easy way (by installing the RPN program, a BIN file) or the hard way (by plugging in the 41 Translator ROM or the Forth ROM).

[Manolo Sobrino]

Been tempted to hunt a 27S on TAS now that the prices are getting reasonable, but the shifted EEX in the 20S, 21S, 22S, 27S is definitely hard to swallow.

Apparently, after the 9820A, you can't get an HP calc (I'm not talking about computers) with two primary keys for the parentheses and a primary EEX unless you go for the low-end Kinpo ones... Not too much love for the algebraic folks really.

[John R]

I'd have to go with the 27S. It's kind of like a less talented baby brother to the 42S, but one that still shows a family resemblance with some of the same traits.

One nice feature that makes the algebraic logic on the 27S slightly more palatable than that of other algebraics is the continued display of pending operations -- it's not as nice as RPN, but still a big step beyond models that lack any notification of pending operations, and a nice improvement beyond the other HP algebraics with their "PEND" annunciators.

[rprosperi]

(05-20-2014 06:49 AM)Dave Britten Wrote:  Yes, thanks for clarifying that. I tend to lump the two processing environments together as "RPN", despite the obvious differences. I much prefer RPL personally.

I like both RPN and RPL. Different tools for different problems in my mind.

RPN is my first go-to for pure number crunching when the problem (or formula, etc) is clear and the task is to crunch, crunch, crunch. I am still exploring the amazing WP-34S, and indeed after almost 40 years of RPN, this cool little tool is teaching me new RPN tricks and insights.

RPL is better for exploratory math where you aren't necessarily sure how the problem at hand needs to be solved. Plus symbolics, CAS and exact mode stuff offers power not available in any RPN machine, but frankly my life has few of these challenges. Exceptions are the little number theory exercises that appear here in the Forrums. Always interesting.

Mostly I enjoy RPL for the pure fun of exploring RPL; its endlessly wonderous inner workings never get old and there is no better platform for creative solutions to interesting challenges.

In short, I will not balance my checkbook with a 48GX or 50g, but I also can't disassemble portions of the 42S or 15C or 34s right on the device to see how it works.

A large tool bag, that can hold many tools, is the key to fun with all these great tools. Mine is even big enough for Algebraic tools as you can see above.

(05-20-2014 06:49 AM)Dave Britten Wrote:  The asinine battery door is really the only big strike against the 19B/19BII....
I see a lot of fans if the 71B. Is there a good emulation for iPad and/or Android?

Yeah, of the various design flaws in the long rich history of HP calculators, I have the hardest time imagining the meeting where the consensus of the engineers, industrial designers and marketing folks was "YES - that battery door design is the best we can do and our customers will love it. And it likely will never break". Must have been a hell of a meeting.

The 71B, while very different than all the other HP machines (OK, not the 75C/D) is a wonderful machine, which has lots of unique capabilities, like Forth, big Qwerty keyboard, a rich BASIC implementation, whose language itself was extensible via LEX files, etc. Try one. You'll like it.

[Didier Lachieze]

(05-20-2014 08:56 AM)Manolo Sobrino Wrote:  Apparently, after the 9820A, you can't get an HP calc (I'm not talking about computers) with two primary keys for the parentheses and a primary EEX unless you go for the low-end Kinpo ones... Not too much love for the algebraic folks really.

Well the HP Prime is almost there with the parentheses and EEX on primary keys. However the parentheses are not on two separated keys but grouped on the same key.