DM42 News

[Guenter Schink]

(01-31-2017 02:19 AM)mfleming Wrote:  To turn the calculator off, use the following sequence

<long press><doubletap><pirouette><whistle-Dixie>CHS-key

Sorry! Couldn't resist

You're welcome

I think it is time to recap some major objectives of the DM42

• Ensure compatibility to the HP42S as much as possible
• Use Free42, because that has proven to achieve this goal already
• Add some enhancements that make use of modern technology. E.G. large screen, direct alpha input from the keyboard
• give more flexibility by adding an additional row of keys, thus enabling the old top row to be usable all the time
• improved I/O capabilities
  

Now to the alpha input.
1. the old alpha menu structure will be still available regardless of the possible direct input of alphabetic characters. So if you prefer to press a couple of keys for one single character, you may do so
2. as the original keyboard layout doesn't provide for direct character entry some compromise has to be found.
3. there are not enough keys available to serve all alphabetic characters without conflict of the legacy behaviour. The ENTER ASTO ARCL AVIEW, the digits and the arithmetic +-/* also have to be taken care of. This doesn't work or the direct alpha entry would have to omitted completely. What a nonsense if reasonable ways of achieving the underlying goal is possible.
4.The normal entry (other than alpha mode) is not affected at all.
5. When in alpha mode those alphabetic characters printed to the right of the keys are directly accessible. Using the shift key gives you direct access to the lower caharacters of what is on the keyboard.
6. But still there is a need for ENTER ASTO ARCL Digits ASHOW R/S % PI and the small "E". How do we achive that not having another shift key the easiest way? What is so wrong by saying, you can do that simply with a long press of the respective key?
7: Imagine you wish to enter "The anwer is:" that would be 26 key strokes plus one long press of ENTER, less if you keep the shift key pressed where appropriate. It's 41 key strokes when going through the alpha menu plus one normal press of the Enter.
8. Having additional characters at the (old) top row doesn't force you to use it but not using the available real estate for more convenience would be a waste in my eyes.

All above is not saying it will be so, because Michael perhaps has not decided yet. But I believe it would be a working concept everybody could easily adapt. And of course there are some caveats. You'll have to leave alpha either by EXIT or by ENTER(long press) before invoking one of the other menus.

Günter