Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!pyrdc!gmu90x!gmuvax2!smasters
From: smasters@gmuvax2.gmu.edu (Shawn Masters)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Subject: Re: Equation Writer
Summary: Definitely useful
Message-ID: <1530@gmuvax2.gmu.edu>
Date: 31 May 90 12:46:41 GMT
References: <4ahdinw01@ULKYVX.bitnet>
Reply-To: smasters@gmuvax2.UUCP (Shawn Masters)
Organization: George Mason Univ. Fairfax, Va.
Lines: 23

I have found the equation writer to extremly useful for complex
equations that I work with in class.  On older machines (even the PC)
that has no utility like this I often make mistakes in counting how
many pairs of groupings I have.  Then when I fix that I find my grouping
is wrong.  I don't have this problem with the hp48 , because I enter
them as I see them, not some mental conversion.
	Your right though, for simple equations(ie X^2+SIN(X^.5)) it is
easier to enter in the algebriac format.  I even simplify on paper,
although the form stuff for algebriac manipulation looks really
interesting, it is much easier for me to waste paper and do the algebra
on paper(probably because I do a lot of deriving, and pull out some
really off the wall tricks I learned elsewhere).
	The other nice thing about the equation writer is the editing.
Yes, it takes forever.  Yes, it drops you back do into the standard
algebriac line edit, but it allows you to take one component of a very
nasty equation and work on that simplified component alone(I can come up
with some nightmares to edit on the command line).
	All in all the equation writer is a tool that has a lot of room
for growth.  If the clock speed was upped yet again maybe the tool would
be easier to use for the microwave generation:-).  Of course I wouldn't
mind going through batteries at an exponential rate compared to now.

Shawn Masters