Logic of Key-assignment

[ThomasA]

Hello,
this topic surely is as old as pocket calculators have more than one function per key.
Here is a list of key-assignments on the Prime I really like (as a mnemonic)

Pi on 3 (my favorite one!)
reciprocal on division key
absolute value on change sign
degree minute seconds on the number representation key a b/c
Notes and „“ on bundled on one key (0)
Char on Vars key

Are there any more? Do other (HP)calculators have similar smart key assignments?
Thomas

[pinkman]

Imaginary number (i) with Z, and Z on (2) key
X on multiply key

Not exactly the same kind of logic, but 'neighborhood' logic:
List on (7) key and {} on (8) key
Matrix on (1) key and [] on (2) key

Edit: Matrix on (4) and (5)

[chromos]

Great observation! It always makes me very happy to see that someone (HP Prime devs in this case) has thought a lot before making something public.

[Wes Loewer]

(05-12-2020 01:23 PM)ThomasA Wrote:  Char on Vars key

I don't get it. Because they rhyme?

Quote:Imaginary number (i) with Z

Never thought about that before. Nice.

Quote:Z on (2) key
X on multiply key

fortunate coincidence? or planned?

Quote:List on (7) key and {} on (8) key
Matrix on (1) key and [] on (2) key

Actually on (4) key and (5) key, but how did I not notice this before? You have just solved the problem of me frequently holding the calculator close to my face while looking over my glasses to see which one is {} or [], especially on the older blurry keyboards.

[pinkman]

(05-14-2020 03:55 PM)Wes Loewer Wrote:  

(05-12-2020 01:23 PM)ThomasA Wrote:  Char on Vars key

I don't get it. Because they rhyme?

That’s what I think too, but Thomas could tell us.

Quote:

Quote:Imaginary number (i) with Z

Never thought about that before. Nice.

Thanks to Thomas who made me search for others than the ones he found.

Quote:

Quote:Z on (2) key
X on multiply key

fortunate coincidence? or planned?

I think X an x are not a coincidence, but Z and 2 are for me pure chance.

Quote:

Quote:List on (7) key and {} on (8) key
Matrix on (1) key and [] on (2) key

Actually on (4) key and (5) key, but how did I not notice this before? You have just solved the problem of me frequently holding the calculator close to my face while looking over my glasses to see which one is {} or [], especially on the older blurry keyboards.

I edited my post, thanks. Yes these neighbors are really useful.

[Wes Loewer]

(05-14-2020 10:14 PM)pinkman Wrote:  I think X an x are not a coincidence

The only key that would allow some wiggle room is the Enter key. By not putting a letter on Enter, it allowed X and x. Let's call it a slight coincidence.

Trivia: Which HP calculators had a letter on the Enter key? I knew one off the top of my head, and found another by searching. (Actually, three from the same "family".)

[Carlos295pz]

What do you think of this interesting thread? https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-10347.html

[cyrille de brébisson]

Hello,

A lot of those are purposeful...
Some, like letter placement, somewhat less as the alphabet has its own order...

But making keyboards is HARD! Especially when more than one person is involved as each has his own opinion!

Cyrille

[Carlos295pz]

(05-15-2020 05:54 AM)cyrille de brébisson Wrote:  But making keyboards is HARD! Especially when more than one person is involved as each has his own opinion!

It is understood a lot, personally I really like the keyboard. One of the sacrifices of the design is the writing of text (very understandable due to its low relevance in the day to day), I use the PC for this type of case, switching between upper and lower case letters or inserting numbers and letters at the same time makes us understand that the alphabetic keyboard has mathematical purposes rather than writing purposes.

On the other hand, if it were possible to connect a kind of mini keyboard (very strange) or a touch keyboard (for example, when being inside " ", an option appears in the touch menu for show touch keyboard) it would be impressive, but unfortunately a keyboard is complex for the many languages ​​that exist but not impossible (especially seeing the great things that the HP team has achieved).

[grsbanks]

(05-15-2020 01:06 AM)Wes Loewer Wrote:  Trivia: Which HP calculators had a letter on the Enter key? I knew one off the top of my head, and found another by searching. (Actually, three from the same "family".)

The 41C/CV/CX has the letter 'N' on the Enter key. Can't think of any others off-hand.

[Carsen]

(05-15-2020 07:20 AM)grsbanks Wrote:  

(05-15-2020 01:06 AM)Wes Loewer Wrote:  Trivia: Which HP calculators had a letter on the Enter key? I knew one off the top of my head, and found another by searching. (Actually, three from the same "family".)

The 41C/CV/CX has the letter 'N' on the Enter key. Can't think of any others off-hand.

HP-32S has the letter M on the ENTER key. I know because I am a 32S user.

[Wes Loewer]

(05-15-2020 05:47 PM)Carsen Wrote:  

(05-15-2020 07:20 AM)grsbanks Wrote:  The 41C/CV/CX has the letter 'N' on the Enter key. Can't think of any others off-hand.

HP-32S has the letter M on the ENTER key. I know because I am a 32S user.

Yep, that was it. The 41's 'N' was burned into my brain. I search through all the hpmuseum pics for the various models and found that the 22S/32S/32SII family all have essentially the same layout. Anybody know of any others?

[rprosperi]

(05-15-2020 01:06 AM)Wes Loewer Wrote:  Trivia: Which HP calculators had a letter on the Enter key? I knew one off the top of my head, and found another by searching. (Actually, three from the same "family".)

The HP-33S has (i) on the Enter key (such as it is), but this may not be what you meant.

[ThomasA]

'Chars' on 'Vars':
Names of variables (in Programs, for instance) are written using letters and charcacters - that was my naive mnemonic for that combination of keys. But I like the 'rhyming' more (Wes, thanks for that observation)!
Thomas