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rolfmwa · 05-11-2018, 11:01 AM

Apologies if this has already been discussed in the forum.

I'd like to buy some of the programming manuals ( for the HP25 for instance) but the only option I have is to buy either a USB stick or individual CDs. I'd much rather download a pdf instead but it seems this option is not available ( happy to pay for it of course).

Could this be a project for the future?
Rolf

pier4r · 05-11-2018, 11:10 AM

I renew my help (for the Mohpc owner) to provide the document set as file, instead of using USB sticks (not so practical nowadays).

The file can be locked with an encrypted key/password that can change for each individual.

Don Shepherd · 05-11-2018, 12:08 PM

(05-11-2018 11:01 AM)rolfmwa Wrote: happy to pay for it of course

Just pay for the USB stick and you'll have all manuals and much more. You won't find a better bargain anywhere.

**rprosperi** · 05-11-2018, 12:26 PM

(05-11-2018 11:01 AM)rolfmwa Wrote: I'd like to buy some of the programming manuals ( for the HP25 for instance) but the only option I have is to buy either a USB stick or individual CDs. I'd much rather download a pdf instead but it seems this option is not available ( happy to pay for it of course).

As a regular user here for many years, I can say 2 things are certain:

1. Downloads will not happen, and

2. It doesn't matter, since buying the USB drive will provide you with a lifetime's worth of manuals, books, service guides, brochures, etc.

Not a single person has ever commented that they were unhappy with the value of this purchase (though a couple have been frustrated waiting for it to be delivered).

Unless you have only a very specific need that will not change, I suggest you get the full USB set; I guarantee it contains lots of stuff that will interest you.

rolfmwa · 05-11-2018, 12:41 PM

Thanks for the replies.

All I'm saying is that downloads are a lot easier than having to wait for the hard media to arrive etc. ( live in the UK). Price does not come into it as I'm happy to pay for the lot either on a USB or as a download (had this been an option).

**Dave Hicks** · 05-11-2018, 02:05 PM

I spoke with someone at HP about this a couple of years ago and he convinced me that with the current attitude about IP, I would be unlikely to get any new agreements/permissions from HP Legal, and by asking them to think about it, I was at risk of them removing the permission I already have (which dates to the 90s when HP's culture and management was all quite different.) So I went with the safest choice of simply continuing as is.

Personally I think downloads would be in the spirit of the original agreement (though not in the letter), but I just don't think it's worth some unknown risk of HP Legal being angry with me.

A few years earlier, I was asked by then current HP people about my agreement with HP and I provided documentation. It seems they (or some part of them) were considering going after me then but were satisfied by what I provided.

Some years before that, I sent a request that cycled around for about a year and then I got a reply from Carly Fiorina's personal assistant that answered some question that could have been related to some of the individual words in my question - though not my actual question. So, someday I'll try again.

pier4r · (This post was last modified: 05-11-2018 03:14 PM by pier4r.)

I thought that providing the data in a USB stick or a file would be equally ok. If providing an online download is an hassle, then it is not worth it. Better to keep something that may take a bit of time but works, that having everything lost.

**rprosperi** · 05-11-2018, 04:30 PM

Thanks for clarifying that Dave, I was trying to avoid such a discussion without having the facts; your explanation closes that off nicely.

And it's nice having you around again; though I can't say much for the circumstances that led to it, hopefully we'll see you in some actual calculator discussions soon.

Thomas_Sch · 05-11-2018, 04:42 PM

Please don't forget to copy the contents of your purchased stick to an reliable media like your harddisk. Sometimes an USB stick - after a long travel (and maybe some sort of radiation?) - is abruptly dead.
I have no idea how often that happens. But it happened to me.
Be carefull.

John Keith · 05-11-2018, 07:30 PM

Good advice indeed. I have had several USB sticks and SD cards die suddenly and inexplicably. I backed up my Museum SD stick the moment I received it.

pier4r · (This post was last modified: 05-11-2018 07:46 PM by pier4r.)

The most damage that I got from SD card or usb drives (that did not, for example, bath in water) is that they went read only with very few chances to make them writable again.

This especially for devices used to boot operating systems (the bootable sectors are not just any sector, so they may be under heavy stress).

On the other side I discovered that a read only flash memory is quite reliable. This as long as they get some electricity every now and then. If you store them without charge, store them properly (no static charges and co) otherwise they may lose some content after a while.

In any case what I do is:

- is my local homelab reliable? Yes but not even that much. So I bought a onedrive subscription for 10€/month (one of the best personal backup, in my opinion) and I put there all the sensible documents. Like the pictures of my family and all I want to save. (Opportunity cost: how much would I pay to recover 10 pictures of my family? Over 120 €/year. Way over. Even if I don't have the resources. Now I have more than 4000 pictures...)
Onedrive is likely more reliable than my homelab in the short term (2 years at least then we will see) better than that is only one way: print the data on paper. Paper is still the most reliable medium if one is not ready to put a lot of effort in maintenance of digital of data.

Also onedrive is quite everywhere and well supported by third party apps (like xplore on android) so it is also relatively easy to access, if one has internet.

Nate Martin · 05-11-2018, 08:32 PM

(05-11-2018 12:26 PM)rprosperi Wrote:
(05-11-2018 11:01 AM)rolfmwa Wrote: I'd like to buy some of the programming manuals ( for the HP25 for instance) but the only option I have is to buy either a USB stick or individual CDs. I'd much rather download a pdf instead but it seems this option is not available ( happy to pay for it of course).

As a regular user here for many years, I can say 2 things are certain:

1. Downloads will not happen, and

2. It doesn't matter, since buying the USB drive will provide you with a lifetime's worth of manuals, books, service guides, brochures, etc.

Not a single person has ever commented that they were unhappy with the value of this purchase (though a couple have been frustrated waiting for it to be delivered).

Unless you have only a very specific need that will not change, I suggest you get the full USB set; I guarantee it contains lots of stuff that will interest you.

I'm a happy buyer of the USB stick

Harald · 05-11-2018, 10:26 PM

My copy came on a set of CDs. I guess it has been a while since I bought it. And it is worth every penny I payed for it.

And the best thing is, it actually arrived! Unlike the copy of the HPCC CD... But that is OK, now that the contents is available online...

Jake Schwartz · 05-14-2018, 06:52 PM

(05-11-2018 10:26 PM)Harald Wrote: My copy came on a set of CDs. I guess it has been a while since I bought it. And it is worth every penny I payed for it.

And the best thing is, it actually arrived! Unlike the copy of the HPCC CD... But that is OK, now that the contents is available online...

Which HPCC CD would that be, if I may ask?

Thanks,
Jake