Thoughts on HP/DM/PX Calculator’s

[knife31]

Thoughts on HP/DM/PX Calculator’s
I got to thinking about the myriad of HP’s that are out there and started wondering why they haven’t combined the good and eliminated the bad. Example, take the HP-35s, they added all sorts of extra features that the original 35 does not have but no capability to download programs etc.... Who wants to punch in a 200-step program, times the thousands of cool programs I would like to use. The voyager models are the right size and the 15C can be connected but if you’re a beginner or even almost an amateur the flash steps are pretty daunting, dido on the DM’s. The Cassic’s, Coconut and Halfnut just look cool. The Clamshells seem to be too big and the battery door problem is an issue. I really like the DM41x and wonder why HP didn’t try a collaboration. Not being a professional Coder/Engineer, I’m sure that there are a lot of problems with producing a new calculator, i.e. technical, monetary, size, consumer etc…
It would be nice if we had a standard format for all programs, RPN, RPL, Focal etc.. (VHS vs BETAMAX ?) but given the number of different languages and new stuff to come, I don’t think that will happen. There are many program convertors out there and the learning curve is steep depending on the calculator download procedure. Of course, if folks would take some time to read the HUGE amount of documentation available for these machines it might be different. Cudos to the folk’s that have written this large amount of data and take time out of their day to help us online. Now I’m just meandering
Randy

[rprosperi]

Lots to unpack here, which I leave to the next few readers, but I will say that moving files in and out of DM41X, DM42 and DM32 are as easy as drag-n-dropping a file on a Mac or PC, it really can't be much easier. But there is so much to learn when you first jump in with any one of these machines, it can seem daunting. Just stay at, and try one or two new things each day (rather than 37) and you'll discover it's not too bad really.

[Johnh]

I can appreciate @knife31 's comments on the HP35S. I have one, but there's just a few too many road-blocks, with no work-arounds, for it to be what it should be. The basic features are great, with plenty of memory to hold a library of useful programs, and enough text capability to keep track of what inputs and outputs mean in seldom-used programs. But....

1. Batteries run down in a few months and you lose everything
2. Battery check doesn't warn before power gets too low to preserve data and you lose everything
3. Easy to accidentally create loops with no end, and no way to halt, and the only way out is to remove batteries and you lose everything
4. No input or output, so have to key in everything again (and agsin)
5. Checksums are inconsistent so keying in again is unreliable
6. There's a windows app which is ok (but no way to read data into it or out of it except my keying on the screen) and no Android app as a fall back.

So I realised it's just too much pain except for one off calcs and small programs, which is how I use it now, barely stretching its legs.

So I've moved to my HP15C-CE. which is a nicer unit and a simpler interface for tasks where text isn't needed. Plus there are several useful apps to complement it, and the new firmware update and save capabilities which I'm looking forward to exploring.

Decades ago, we were delighted to have access to any personal device to deal with calculations and programs. But the bar is higher now and a calculator that does more than the basics needs to address these things.

But the DM's do look appealing...