From: usenet1.20.quaxo on
I have my new 50G since a few days, and I'm rather pleased... I think
it's a great advance since the 48GX I had. I also like its
"look'n'feel", the keyboard is OK though I miss some of the 48's keys
(and the labels over the arrow keys!)
I have some questions that bug me though...

1) If I have a very long integer (i.e. 100!) is there a way to display
it "fullscreen", sort of like an "auto-wrap"? Everything I tried only
shows just one line...
2) The expression "e^i*pi" only gives -1 if I'm in rad mode. Why is
that? That kind of math may be above my level, but I thought e and pi
were pure numbers, which should not depend on angle representation -
so why should the equation's result change?
3) When I try to factor a non-factorizable expression (i.e. x^3+x^2+2x
+5) the calc only displays the message "unable to factor" on the top
line for a (small) fraction of a second... I had to actually push
"factor" several times before realizing the calc was actually showing
a message, and tens of times before being able to read it!
4) About libs... On the 48 I could use LS-2 to enter the libs menu
where I found the ports list and commands, while with RS-2 I found the
softkeys to launch the installed libs. On the 50G everything seems
"mixed"... With RS-2 I find 3 softkeys to enter the ports 0,1,2, plus
the softkeys for "some" of the installed libs, not all. If I enter
port 0,1 or 2 I get the libs present in that port (the number, if you
push that button the lib is copied in the stack) and "some" other
installed libs (which are run if pushed). It's never clear what goes
where, or how to install and (quickly) launch a lib. I found no
explanations on the manuals. Sometimes an installed lib goes in the
"Apps" menu... Sometimes it goes to the "main" libs menu... Sometimes
to a specific port menu... Not really intuitive!

I thank you in advance for any help!

Cristian

From: ryan.edwards on
On Mar 24, 5:31 am, usenet1.20.qu...(a)spamgourmet.com wrote:

I too am a new HP 50 owner coming from a 48GX and I have noted exactly
the same things as you.

> 2) The expression "e^i*pi" only gives -1 if I'm in rad mode. Why is
> that? That kind of math may be above my level, but I thought e and pi
> were pure numbers, which should not depend on angle representation -
> so why should the equation's result change?

This one I do know. e^i*pi = -1 is Euler's Identity (pronounced
"Oiler"). You can read about at Wikipedia here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler%27s_identity

The other concerns Christian has I would be very interested in hearing
solutions for, especially how to make the first line of the stack wrap
around in the same way MetaKernel on my 48GX did.

- Ryan

From: Virgil on
In article <1174771786.889492.284470(a)e65g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>,
"ryan.edwards" <ryan.edwards(a)shaw.ca> wrote:

> On Mar 24, 5:31 am, usenet1.20.qu...(a)spamgourmet.com wrote:
>
> I too am a new HP 50 owner coming from a 48GX and I have noted exactly
> the same things as you.
>
> > 2) The expression "e^i*pi" only gives -1 if I'm in rad mode. Why is
> > that? That kind of math may be above my level, but I thought e and pi
> > were pure numbers, which should not depend on angle representation -
> > so why should the equation's result change?
>
> This one I do know. e^i*pi = -1 is Euler's Identity (pronounced
> "Oiler"). You can read about at Wikipedia here
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euler%27s_identity

e^i*pi is slightly ambiguous as you are using it.

I suspect you mean e^(i*pi), not (e^i)*pi. But as you have written it,
HPs parses it as (e^i)*pi.

On my HP49+, 'e^i*\pi, where \pi represents the pi symbol, evaluates to
'\pi*EXP(i)' or (1.549740975483,2.64355906408)

Whereas 'e^(i*\pi)' evaluates to -1.
>
> The other concerns Christian has I would be very interested in hearing
> solutions for, especially how to make the first line of the stack wrap
> around in the same way MetaKernel on my 48GX did.
>
> - Ryan
From: John H Meyers on
On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 07:31:52 -0500, Cristian wrote:

> About libs... On the 48 I could use LS-2 to enter the libs menu
> where I found the ports list and commands, while with RS-2
> I found the softkeys to launch the installed libs.

That was the 48G, that was :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Was_The_Week_That_Was

> On the 50G everything seems "mixed"...
> With RS-2 I find 3 softkeys to enter the ports 0,1,2, plus
> the softkeys for "some" of the installed libs, not all.
> If I enter port 0,1 or 2 I get the libs present in that port.

The 49G[+]/50G/48Gii simply combines two of the 48G menus
(library names menu, followed by port-number menu)
into one single menu; otherwise it really works quite the same
as in the Good Old Days.

BTW, on both series, only "attached" libraries having names
may be listed by name, while *all* objects in a port,
each of which can be either named or numbered[libs],
will appear in the port-number menus.

Pressing a key in a "port-number" menu evaluates what's stored,
just as if it were in the VAR menu; pressing a key in a menu
of library names displays the command menu for that library
(this was exactly the same in the 48G).

[r->] [OFF]
From: John H Meyers on
More about displaying library command menus:

If a library is number 1234, then 1234 MENU
will display the menu of its internal named commands,
whether or not it has been "attached" to any directory.

If you've entered a "port-number" menu, however,
and see label [1234], then that's where the
library as a whole is stored, and pressing that key
simply recalls the entire library object
to the stack, just like any other *data* object
(a library as a whole is not "executable";
only its individual internal commands can be executed).

Low "system" library numbers (e.g. built-in
"Development" library 256) are not valid arguments
for the MENU command, because low menu numbers
are reserved for other built-in menus,
but you can add 2048 to those library numbers
to see their command menus; e.g. since 256+2048=2304,
then 2304 MENU displays the "Development" library commands,
even if that library hasn't been attached.

> Sometimes an installed lib goes in the "Apps" menu...
> Sometimes it goes to the "main" libs menu...

Libraries can insert themselves into the new (49-series only)
APPS menu, as does the "Development" library, when attached;
internal "system" libraries are nameless and don't appear
in the menu which lists library names -- the 48G[X] also
had many such nameless internal libraries, but it also
had no APPS menu, so they remained "silently within,"
as it were.

> Sometimes to a specific port menu...

"Port-number" menus show exactly what's been stored
into that port number, just as the VAR menu shows
what you have stored into variables;
built-in libraries (like "Development" library 256)
are in ROM, not in a port, and that's why
you can not find them in "port" menus :)

> Not really intuitive!

Just logical, every step of the way, no?

Although the reasons weren't familiar to begin with,
hence appeared mysterious, does it all make sense now?

By the way, try 2219 MENU on a 48G[X] *or* 49 series
to see the menu of "invisible" ROM library 171, for example,
which contains many of the commands first introduced
in the 48G, which hadn't previously existed in the 48S[X];
since that library is in ROM, and all of these commands
are always automatically recognized anyway, there is no need
to ever display a stand-alone menu for that library.

There are several more internal "system" libraries in ROM,
which you can find listed in the "AUR" if interested.

Hope this has been of interest -- "familiarity breeds content[ment]" :)

[r->] [OFF]