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Re: [ATM] OT: Desktop RPN calculator

Hi James

You being another resident of Canuckistan and sounding like it is the
same era as me, your calculator may have been a National Semiconductors
calculator. They had an RPN model which at the time sold for about $30
(IIRC) and ran off of a 9 volt battery. If so I had the same one while I
was in college in Northern Ontario (don't ask) studying Avionics.

George Anderson
Montreal Canada

Clear skies and good health 



James P Crombie wrote:
> 
> While I was looking around at the RPN stuf on the web, I found this new
> casio graphing calculator. The casio Classpad 300.  Lots of interesting
> features and while it does not do rpn as is, I did find a program you
> could load to provide it.
> http://www.casio.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.detail&catalog=Calculators&section=Graphing&product=CLASSPad300
> 
>  My first calculator was bought in 76, I can't remember the make, but it
> wasn't an HP, maybe a TI or other.  not a lot of functions and a lot of
> money for a student back then.  It was rpn and since it was my first
> calculator I didn't know it wasn't the usually state of affairs.  The
> first calculator I saw was an old HP desk unit with a CRT,  just did +-/
> x  and you could do sq rt if you gave it an estimate first :-) That was
> in 73 and I don't think they were used anymore
>   I now have a casio CFX9850 graphing, about 5 years old.  I don't use a
> lot of its functions but the 5 line display comes in handy and you can
> correct error as you go with the cursor
> 
> Richard Schwartz wrote:
> 
> >I just looked around for my 33s that was given out as a gratuity by HP at
> >our last conference.   All I found was my 48GX, my 49G, and my 49G+.   The
> >latter is in an unopened blister pack.   Those machines were once the
> >backbone of my engineering practice, but now it is my Palm and iPAQ.  I sure
> >wish there could be a version of forth on the iPAQ as there is on the Palm.
> >The programming language of my HP machines is a dialect of forth.   The
> >memory layout of the 33s is AWFUL.   There are not enough registers, and the
> >indexing scheme is no good.   I wouldn't waste brain waves on a 33s.   I did
> >waste brain waves on a 30s.  It is not even programmable, but I manages to
> >solve a certain kind of polynomial on it very efficiently (and thereby get
> >the internal rate of return of an annuity).
> >
> >What went wrong with the Calculators?   The Luddite "educators" demanded
> >that certain capabilities be REMOVED.   Capabilities like infrared beaming
> >of program objects.   Some demanded that any alphanumeric capability be
> >REMOVED.   I suppose they will next demand that anybody who owns a
> >calculator must have one quarter of his brain removed (to "equalize" him
> >with the disadvantaged layers of society).
> >
> >. . . Richard
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "James P Crombie" <jpcrombie@pei.eastlink.ca>
> >To: "Richard Schwartz" <richas@earthlink.net>; "atm list" <atm@atmlist.net>
> >Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 11:53 AM
> >Subject: Re: [ATM] OT: Desktop RPN calculator
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>Richard
> >>  HP still makes several models with an RPN mode on their calculators.
> >>The HP 33s is one, there are also a couple of graphing types and finacial.
> >>http://www.hp.com/calculators/scientific/33s/
> >>http://www.hp.com/calculators/articles/rpn.html
> >>
> >>Richard Schwartz wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>>There was a technique for rejuvenating the nicad batteries with a
> >>>
> >>>
> >capacitor
> >
> >
> >>>discharge.  The theory was that this burned away micrscopic metal
> >>>
> >>>
> >whiskers
> >
> >
> >>>inside the cells that were draining the power.    It worked several
> >>>
> >>>
> >times,
> >
> >
> >>>and then finally you were done.   I do not know HP's business plan; maybe
> >>>that is where they got the idea they now use with their inkjet
> >>>
> >>>
> >cartridges!
> >
> >
> >>>. . . Richard
> >>>
> >>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>From: "Don D'Egidio" <djd521@comcast.net>
> >>>To: "Ken Hunter" <atm_ken_hunter@yahoo.com>; "Don Clement"
> >>><clement.focuser@verizon.net>; "atml" <atm@atmlist.net>
> >>>Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 9:05 PM
> >>>Subject: Re: [ATM] OT: Desktop RPN calculator
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Ken,
> >>>
> >>>The power packs were my problem. I would cut the case apart at the glue
> >>>
> >>>
> >line
> >
> >
> >>>and put in new cells. What finally ended it's use was loosing several
> >>>segments of the LED display. I bought mine in Sept. 1970 for $212.00.
> >>>
> >>>
> >Used
> >
> >
> >>>it up until three years ago. I sure do miss that RPN calculator.
> >>>
> >>>Don
> >>>
> >>>----- Original Message -----
> >>>From: "Ken Hunter" <atm_ken_hunter@yahoo.com>
> >>>To: "Don Clement" <clement.focuser@verizon.net>; "atml" <atm@atmlist.net>
> >>>Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 23:12
> >>>Subject: Re: [ATM] OT: Desktop RPN calculator
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>Hey Don...
> >>>>
> >>>>HP-35 hmmm...
> >>>>
> >>>>How mwny times have you had to cut the power connector
> >>>>off the cord and cut into the rubber so that you could
> >>>>solder it back together? Wish I had $10.00 for every
> >>>>one I brought back to life that way.
> >>>>
> >>>>Ken Hunter
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>_______________________________________________
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> >>>
> >>>_______________________________________________
> >>>ATM mailing list http://www.atmlist.net/
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
> >
> >
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