Thoughts on HP/DM/PX Calculator’s

[knife31]

Thoughts on HP/DM/PX Calculator’s
I got to thinking about the myriad of HP’s that are out there and started wondering why they haven’t combined the good and eliminated the bad. Example, take the HP-35s, they added all sorts of extra features that the original 35 does not have but no capability to download programs etc.... Who wants to punch in a 200-step program, times the thousands of cool programs I would like to use. The voyager models are the right size and the 15C can be connected but if you’re a beginner or even almost an amateur the flash steps are pretty daunting, dido on the DM’s. The Cassic’s, Coconut and Halfnut just look cool. The Clamshells seem to be too big and the battery door problem is an issue. I really like the DM41x and wonder why HP didn’t try a collaboration. Not being a professional Coder/Engineer, I’m sure that there are a lot of problems with producing a new calculator, i.e. technical, monetary, size, consumer etc…
It would be nice if we had a standard format for all programs, RPN, RPL, Focal etc.. (VHS vs BETAMAX ?) but given the number of different languages and new stuff to come, I don’t think that will happen. There are many program convertors out there and the learning curve is steep depending on the calculator download procedure. Of course, if folks would take some time to read the HUGE amount of documentation available for these machines it might be different. Cudos to the folk’s that have written this large amount of data and take time out of their day to help us online. Now I’m just meandering
Randy