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From: jrcole@hpsciz.sc.hp.com (Jim Cole)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Subject: Re: Jim Donnely's book.
Message-ID: <2360001@hpsciz.sc.hp.com>
Date: 2 Apr 91 20:12:24 GMT
References: <21593@shlump.nac.dec.com>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Clara, CA
Lines: 30


/ hpsciz:comp.sys.handhelds / ervin@pinbot.enet.dec.com (Joseph James Ervin) /  1:07 pm  Apr  1, 1991 /

>I am curious as to who has a copy of Jim Donnely's HP48sx handbook.  My main
>question is whether you found it useful.  In my continuing search for inside
>information about the 48SX, I seem to recall references to this book for things
>like the various self tests.  
>
>Does the book contain much in the way of internals, or is it pretty much just
>another rehash of the user manuals.  

I would describe most of the book as an "expanded rehash" of the HP literature.
Typically, there is a little more information than in the manual, or the 
information on a given topic is organized in one spot, primarily to serve as a 
handy reference.  Actually, much of the book is a Command Reference.  In 
addition, some undocumented features are described, like the built-in 
diagnostics, memory scanner, etc.  However, there is no information on the 
nitty-gritty internals of the machine.

>The same questions apply to Dr. Wickes recent "HP48SX Insights".  Anyone have
>that book yet?

I'm working my way through it now, and while it is excellent so far, there is
no internals information other than the odd SYSEVAL.  Instead, it "focuses
on the principles of HP48 design and various programming methods and
resources" (from the Author's Note in the book itself).  For me, it has helped
define a "mental model" for the calculator, as well as being a fascinating
read of the philosophy behind RPN, RPL, etc.

Jim Cole