Swiss Micros makes HP 'act-alikes' - programmable

[Massimo Gnerucci]

(09-29-2018 02:08 PM)Thomas Okken Wrote:  As a second-language English speaker, I find XEQ ugly but sensible. Do you not call the letter X "eks" and Q "cue"? Phonetically it's pretty clever.

In Dutch it doesn't work so well because we call the X "iks" and Q "ku" (with the u in "ku" being a vowel that doesn't exist in English, basically like the French u), but since the HP-41C has an English-based user interface, that's not an issue.

I mention the 41C because that was the first HP with an XEQ key, replacing the earlier GSB (go subroutine). The name change was necessary because GSB doesn't make sense if you're also using it to invoke built-in functions. Like I said, I find XEQ ugly, but given the limitations (basically, three letters maximum), there isn't much else you can do. I think Japanese calculators usually had EXE, which isn't great either, but I guess it is better for non-English-speaking audiences... EXEC would have been better, but alas, too long, and EXC can be confused with "exchange." UI design is hard.

I completely agree with you, Thomas.