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ENTER↑ is a misnomer, long live ENTER:
07-06-2014, 10:40 PM
Post: #9
RE: ENTER↑ is a misnomer, long live ENTER:
(07-06-2014 07:28 PM)walter b Wrote:  I respectfully plea for the right to disagree. ENTER↑ is a name fitting the classic RPN function well (compare e.g. R↓ and R↑, and look at all the pocket calculators from the HP-35 to the HP-41CX). Then the arrow was dropped since it didn't fit the Voyager keyboard; and it didn't return with the Pioneers for whatever reason. The real problem, however, arose with RPL (ab)using the RPN label ENTER for a slightly different function. IMHO it's the duty of the abuser to refrain from abuse - not of classic RPN to make way for it.

Luckily noone ever used ENTER↑ on an RPL or so-called 'Entry RPN' calculator. Thus I think ENTER↑ is perfectly correct on the WP 34S, while ENTER should be replaced by something else on the HP-30b. I doubt, however, that we'll get that - so returning to ENTER↑ on the WP 34S, 31S, and 43S is the minimum differentiation we can do to make people aware of what we're talking about.

I agree with you that ENTER↑ has the historical right for use on Classical RPN calculators, and ENTER↑ conveys the difference between Classical RPN and Entry RPN quite well.

But this is only when we look back into history. And looking back into history we can also see that HP and RPN might have done better when the key would have had a more future-proof name.

Looking into the future it is important that the key has a name that speaks for itself. Imho ENTER: gives future users of Classical RPN a much better intuitive feeling for the semantic of this key in Classical RPN calculators than ENTER↑.

Only by providing maximum clarity to future user can we hope to attract more users to Classical RPN calculators.

Hans


P.S.
(07-06-2014 07:28 PM)walter b Wrote:  (…) , while ENTER should be replaced by something else on the HP-30b.
The HP 30b already has no ENTER but an INPUT key (with the meaning of Entry RPN ENTER), so ENTER (without ↑ or : ) would have been a suitable name.
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RE: ENTER↑ is a misnomer, long live ENTER: - hansklav - 07-06-2014 10:40 PM



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