HP15c CE: 8x8 equation system

[rprosperi]

(05-14-2023 07:33 PM)Steve Simpkin Wrote:  That is rather ironic considering, as was mentioned, it was the first handheld to incorporate the IEEE floating point math standard which he contributed so much to. I suspect some of Dr Kahan's criticisms of the HP-71B were based on his vision of it it not being the best calculation tool for his target market, engineering students. In that light, his criticisms are probably more reasonable.

More than anything else, I think Kahan's vastly differing views on the 15C and 71B reflect the dramatic changes that took place in personal computing between 1978 and 1984. In 78, when working in the 34C, there were effectively no personal computers in widespread use by college students, so the 15C could easily be considered the best tool available for Engineering students, while by 84-85, PCs had already become relatively commonplace, if not individually owned by each student, at least available to them, along with ubiquitous minicomputer terminals everywhere.

It has been suggested a reason for the difference is because Kahan was involved in the development of the 15C and not the 71B, but that's actually not correct, he advised HP on both the IEEE implementation and the PROOT solver function.