An HP-42SII...Would HP go for it?

[Jake Schwartz]

Quote:HP probably wouldn't go for it, but I sure as hell would.

Hi,

At a few of the annual HP calculator conferences, Richard Nelson recalled the story of when he was working for EduCalc in California and the HP-42S was being sold. In our circle of HP fanatics, the machine was revered, and EduCalc promoted it in their quarterly catalogs, sold a good number and considered it a success. However, when HP eventually announced in 1995 that they would stop manufacturing it, Richard inquired why and was told that it was a relatively poor seller overall and that EduCalc was selling just about as many if not more than all other dealers combined. Perhaps it was due to lackluster marketing? Considering that HP also released the 28S and 48S and G series during that same time, their commitment to RPL over RPN at the top end might have had something to do with it as well.

It is fairly certain that no HP calculator employees from the 42S' time frame remain on the calc team, but the feeling I get is that it was remembered "internally" as a less-than-successful experiment. If it had full I/O like the 41 series which it succeeded, maybe history would be different.

Jake