HP-41: New HP-16C Emulator available

[jonmoore]

(07-07-2022 04:59 AM)Ángel Martin Wrote:  

(07-05-2022 08:38 AM)jonmoore Wrote:  My recommendation isn't specific to my use case as it's simple enough to trigger the 2CMP command. But I'm thinking of others that try out the 16C simulator for the first time, and in that use case, I think it's important that the defaults provide as friendly and familiar a user experience as possible. Most calculators that offer base conversions default to 2's complement mode for this reason (in fact, the majority are nowhere near as sophisticated as the 16C and the user cannot configure the complement setting so it's permanently in 2's complement mode).

I'm looking into this as we speak, pls. be patient as this is not my day job.
BTW although yes it looks "simple enough", one should never underestimate the slippery slope nature of MCODE...

Stay tuned.

To be clear Ángel, if it isn't obvious by the fact that I generally have nothing but your Rom's installed on my DM41x, I'm a huge fan of your work. But I also realise this is something you've always done outside of day job, and it's something you've been motivated to do for no other reason than for the good of the 41 community (whatever the 41 device/emulator).

My feedback always has two core strands, one is obviously personal, but the second is always framed by UX/UI/interaction design criteria.

BTW I'm continuing on the importance of a mass key assignment trigger living in the top level FAT here. I totally get the challenge, especially when emulating a voyager device, which has more triple function keys than a 41 to start with. When you then frame that challenge by the limit of 64 functions within the top FAT, it makes things very difficult. But I think you answer this challenge better with the SandMath mass key assignment than with that in 16C simulator. The many SandMath launchers provides interactive access to so many functions in deeper FATs and you still have room for the MKEYS mass keys trigger in the top FAT. The story is much the same with 41Z Deluxe. I suppose the main difference I see with the 16C simulator is that you didn't design the core mass key assignment yourself.

When using the 16C simulator mass key assignment I still use the 16C trigger key (the summation key in the top left of the keyboard in the mass assignment - I'm pointing this out for others reading the thread). At a basic level you can't enter numbers onto the 16C stack without first pressing the 16C trigger (or 16NPT), but I also like the simplicity of DSZ and ISZ when programming and often use the original SL/SR functions too (to highlight a few original HP16C functions that were relegated to a sub-FAT. Just because I make use of mass key assignments doesn't mean that I don't access functions in sub-level FATs.

In terms of making room for the mass key assignment trigger, I believe it's possible to further consolidate what were single key functions on the original HP16C to cascaded options in much the same manner as you've achieved with the Y=0 etc and X=Y etc test cases. The prime case would be a single R_ which would provide access to both RR and RL (without breaking existing program compatibility).

I use HP calculators both interactively and programmatically. For instance, if I'm about to do something with lots of repetitive calculations I'll write small programs to reduce those repetitive steps, but if I'm cranking through a variety of mathematical tasks I'll often find it quicker to work interactively (often using programs I've previously written). This approach doesn't change whether I'm using an RPL calculator of a classic RPN calculator.

As I said at the opening of the post I have a huge admiration with regards to your ongoing commitment to the 41, and the manner in which you've created collections incorporating many of the best 41 programs/functions that have been written since 1979. But I have observed that you tend to prioritise the super power user with your creations and accessibility is less of a consideration. The 41 eccosytem of users is shrinking as each year, passes, which is a pity as the platform has so much more to give what with new hardware such as the DM41x coming to market. This is aided by your efforts translate many key routines to MCODE with an under the hood calculation capability of 13 significant digits, which often provides greater accuracy than a modern Casio running at 15 significant digits under the hood (but still only offering 10 visible significant digits).

I've always been of the opinion that accessibiliy leads to an increase in the number of power users when it comes to programmable calculators, as those using their programmables in simple ways grow to require more from their calculators. As long as accessibility is designed in such a way that it doesn't limit power users, it's a win/win situation.