HP-15C CE woes: 1 bug, 2 limitations, 3 questions

[Gilles]

(08-09-2023 02:19 PM)J-F Garnier Wrote:  (...)
For me, the main limitation of the 15c is the fact that program steps are still recorded as keycodes.
This seems to me absolutely archaic in 2023. I really would welcome a 15c with clear instructions à la 41C: LbL, STO, RCL, ...
It would not break any compatibility and would give a tremendous comfort for programming.
The 41C series introduced this innovative feature in 1979, unfortunately the 1981 Voyager series went back to keycodes.
It was a big step backward at the time, and I remember that I initially didn't like this series for this very reason.

J-F

I totally agree. A great example of what even a very basic ALPHA mode adds is what CASIO did between the FX-502P and 602P. It's exactly the same programming system but with the instructions in clear and very easily modifiable programs. Add to that a very simple possibility of displaying characters like "Enter X" HLT Min01, or "X=AR01" to display the contents of memory 01 and that changes everything. After the HP50 the CASIO 602P remains my favorite calculator, but I have become unable to use the 502P. ;D.
Too bad HP didn't do it at the time but I guess it was not to compete with the 41C