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From: marko.ramius on 10 Jan 2008 04:14
I used HP calculators for study (28s, 48sx) and for my job (48gx, 50g,
35s).
I currently use the 35s (always in my bag) and the 48gx (always on my
desk), having put apart the 50g (and thinking to sell it: i used it
for two weeks......).
Why? The reason is simple: it is full of useless features for me, in
particular all about symbolc calculations, and eats batteries like a
hog. And, worst thing, the entire keyboard is designed for symbolic (X
key, SYMB key, ENTER key, CST menu only shifted.......).
I installed on the 48gx both Metakernel AND SpeedUI (the latest
version, thanks Raymond: you gave new life to my 48gx!!!!), keeping MK
stack.
Now i get a "super48gx", very fast in keyboard and menu operations. A
sort of 50g, without CAS and in a much better case :-)

Now the question: anybody knows if HP is planning to release a new
calculator taylored on real number crunching and programming needs?
A mean, something with the following features:
- form factor smaller than the 48gx
- screen not larger tha 48gx; smaller is ok, providing it can show 5
levels of stack. Graphic not required. The HP28s screen could be ok
- 50g memory capacity, plus SD slot and USB
- 35s quality and style keyboard, with the same layout of the 48gx
- User RPL stack and language, and total compatibility with 48gx
programs written in user rpl (except screen routines.....)

In other words, i wander a "downgraded" 50g or a "updated"
48gx.......or, at least, a 50g with the 48gx keyboard layout......

There is any hope?

Regards

Marko Ramius
From: John H Meyers on 10 Jan 2008 08:03
On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 03:14:55 -0600:

> The 50G is full of useless features for me, in particular
> all about symbolc calculations, and eats batteries like a hog.

And four at a time, too, instead of just three :)

> And, worst thing, the entire keyboard is designed for symbolic
> (X key, SYMB key, ENTER key, CST menu only shifted.......)

You can redefine the entire keyboard, any way you like,
just as on your 48GX (and 50G has 51 keys, while 48GX has 49 keys,
so you get a free bonus :)

I have, for example, swapped CST with MODE (same physical key,
just making CST unshifted, as you say you'd prefer yourself), Etc.

Some people with HP48 must have wanted an 'X' (symbolic) key,
because they've even put an extra one on their "48GX" emulator face,
along with various other "keys" (like "menu scroll")
which don't even exist on real calcs;
now I have Emu48 on PPC with no keys at all
(and eats battery charge like an entire hog family),
so wish me good luck with that :)

[r->] [OFF]
From: Eric Smith on 10 Jan 2008 18:40
marko.ramius(a)bigfoot.com writes:
> Why? The reason is simple: it is full of useless features for me, in
> particular all about symbolc calculations, and eats batteries like a
> hog. And, worst thing, the entire keyboard is designed for symbolic (X
> key, SYMB key, ENTER key, CST menu only shifted.......).

Sounds like the 35s should be perfect for you then, so why complain about
the 50g?
From: marko.ramius on 11 Jan 2008 02:59
> And four at a time, too, instead of just three :)
>
Of course :-)

> You can redefine the entire keyboard, any way you like,
> just as on your 48GX (and 50G has 51 keys, while 48GX has 49 keys,
> so you get a free bonus :)
>
I know, i know. The problem is that i already defined a lot of
shortcuts, so i should remove them.....
On the 48 i can keep the shortcuts and have a good keyboard :-)

> Some people with HP48 must have wanted an 'X' (symbolic) key,
> because they've even put an extra one on their "48GX" emulator face,
>
I think this is because many people use the 48-50 for advanced math,
while other people use them for engineering calculations.....
In my opinion HP made a mistake by developing a calculator which can
do both jobs....


> now I have Emu48 on PPC with no keys at all
> (and eats battery charge like an entire hog family),
> so wish me good luck with that :)
>
Ouch!!!! :-)


From: marko.ramius on 11 Jan 2008 03:13
> Sounds like the 35s should be perfect for you then, so why complain about
> the 50g?
>
Because i need both.
Unfortunately, the 35s is far from being perfect for me. It is just
too limited, but i like it very much.
I try to explain: i take it with me wherever i go for my job,
especially for on-the-fly calculations while i am on site or in a
plant.
I use the 48gx (supercharged :-) ) (previously, the 50g.....) in the
office, where i need to do complex calculations (matrices, nonlinear
equations systems, advanced interpolations and much more) which the
35s simply cannot perform.
Furthermore, i write complex programs for which i need a structured
language (User RPL is very good) and several data types (for example:
a database of piping data according to diameter and schedule, a
program for shortcut calculation of gas sweetening plant) which the
35s does non provide.
So, the 48gx offers a very good case and keyboard, enough memory
(128kb + 1mb cards), an almost acceptable speed and a good battery
consumption.
The 50g offers much more speed, much more memory for storage, a very
faster link to pc (i user Hp Useredit for programming), at the price
of a less confortable keyboard and a very high battery consumption.
For me, a better keyboard layout would be enough to keep the
50g.....considering that the smallest laptop on the market is still
too big and a palmtop is too generalist to make the job
efficiently :-)

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