4 ms·

When things get discontinued at the mass market level, it just means there is space for niche players. I'd argue that anyone wanting a classic HP-style calculat

by jsnell 4y ago

When things get discontinued at the mass market level, it just means there is space for niche players. I'd argue that anyone wanting a classic HP-style calculator today is better off with one of the SwissMicros clones than a used original HP or a phone app: https://www.swissmicros.com/products https://www.swissmicros.com/products (I have a DM42, and it is great as an object to fetishize the past. But in all honesty, it doesn't get that much use because the vast majority of the time, if I need to calculate something I'm already at a computer and reaching for the calculate is just more effort than opening a spreadsheet or a terminal window.)

mschaef 4y ago
> I have a DM42, and it is great as an object to fetishize the past. But in all honesty, it doesn't get that much use because the vast majority of the time, if I need to calculate something I'm already at a computer and reaching for the calculate is just more effort than opening a spreadsheet or a terminal window.) Same experience here. I have a drawer full of HP's that never get used. Either the computer or a phone is always at hand. This was definitely untrue during the calculator's professional heyday 30-40 years ago. I do have a 42 emulator on my phone that I use for occasional light calculations (tips, etc.). I used too much RPN in my formative years to enjoy using an algebraic calculator.
waynesonfire 4y ago
though swissmicro adds huge value to these calculators, the buttons are sub-par.
jwr 4y ago
Personally, I am somewhat surprised that people like the HP-42. I don't find it to be a good compromise at all. The calculators that I like using are ones that are either relatively simple and small and don't try to do too much (like HP-25, HP-11C, HP-12C), or ones that are complex, but do unique things that are very useful (like unit conversions in the HP-50G). The 42 is neither. As to sitting at a computer, I guess it depends on what your calculations are and how quickly you can reach for a calculator (mine sits smack dab in the middle of my desk, between the split halves of my keyboard). But a spreadsheet won't let me quickly multiply values that are in microns and get an answer in engineering notation. I am also not advocating for "graphing calculators" — plotting functions on a calculator makes no sense these days, nor do matrix computations. The sweet spot has moved in the direction of simpler calculators, because you are not likely to do anything complex (like graphing) on a calculator today.

by jsnell 4y ago

mschaef 4y ago

> I have a DM42, and it is great as an object to fetishize the past. But in all honesty, it doesn't get that much use because the vast majority of the time, if I need to calculate something I'm already at a computer and reaching for the calculate is just more effort than opening a spreadsheet or a terminal window.) Same experience here. I have a drawer full of HP's that never get used. Either the computer or a phone is always at hand. This was definitely untrue during the calculator's professional heyday 30-40 years ago. I do have a 42 emulator on my phone that I use for occasional light calculations (tips, etc.). I used too much RPN in my formative years to enjoy using an algebraic calculator.

waynesonfire 4y ago

though swissmicro adds huge value to these calculators, the buttons are sub-par.

jwr 4y ago

Personally, I am somewhat surprised that people like the HP-42. I don't find it to be a good compromise at all. The calculators that I like using are ones that are either relatively simple and small and don't try to do too much (like HP-25, HP-11C, HP-12C), or ones that are complex, but do unique things that are very useful (like unit conversions in the HP-50G). The 42 is neither. As to sitting at a computer, I guess it depends on what your calculations are and how quickly you can reach for a calculator (mine sits smack dab in the middle of my desk, between the split halves of my keyboard). But a spreadsheet won't let me quickly multiply values that are in microns and get an answer in engineering notation. I am also not advocating for "graphing calculators" — plotting functions on a calculator makes no sense these days, nor do matrix computations. The sweet spot has moved in the direction of simpler calculators, because you are not likely to do anything complex (like graphing) on a calculator today.