Programmable Calculators: The First Generation

[Don Shepherd]

(05-19-2017 08:17 PM)Dieter Wrote:  

(05-19-2017 04:31 PM)SlideRule Wrote:  The SR-52 certainly offered more program and data memory than the HP-65: no argument.

Sure. That's what I would expect from a 1970's calculator that follows more than a year after another. It's just the usual, natural evolution of technical features and capabilities. Simply take a look at the next year and include the HP67:

1974: HP65 has 100 partially merged steps
1975: SR52 has 224 unmerged steps (only prefix merged)
1976: HP67 has 224 fully merged steps (equivalent to approx. 350...400 unmerged steps)

1974: HP65 has 9 data registers
1975: SR52 has 20+2 data registers
1976: HP67 has 26 data registers

1974: HP65 has card reader for recording programs
1975: SR52 has card reader for recording programs and data
1976: HP67 has intelligent card reader that records programs as well as data, automatically reads and writes status information (display, flags, angle mode) and allows merging of different programs.

...etc., etc., etc.

It's just the usual technical evolution. You can't directly compare an HP65 and an SR52, just as you can't do so with an SR52 vs. an HP67.

Dieter

Excellent points, Dieter, thanks.