Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!hpcvra!pam
From: pam@hpcvra.HP.COM (Pam Raby)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: Broken Hp41VC
Message-ID: <5040013@hpcvra.HP.COM>
Date: 22 Feb 89 18:55:08 GMT
References: <1516@zen.UUCP>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Corvallis, OR, USA
Lines: 41


   Frank Wales of Zengrange writes:

>I'd also like to know what Dave means by "user interface"; the HP-42S
>has similar functionality to an HP-41CV + Advantage ROM (except that
>certain things got lost, like PSE accepting input from the keyboard -
>grrr!).

   Rumor has it that one of the 42S designers will re-write your
   lunar lander program for you ... the only known use of
   "input on the fly" :-)  chrisb%hp-pcd@hplabs.HP.COM - who
   also wrote the Advantage module.  The 42S definitely has all
   the functionality of the CV + Advantage *PLUS* matrices,
   complex numbers and variables as system objects, solve and
   integrate of any variable, programmable menus.  The 42S has
   even MORE matrix and complex number functions than the 28!

>However, it certainly does *not* have the same User interface as an HP-41.
>Just use the alpha keyboard, and you'll see what I mean.  The 42 certainly
>has some cute features, but I get the impression that whoever ported the
>HP-41 to the new machine wasn't a seasoned 41 User (he said, speaking as
>one himself ;-)).

   The 42S design team represents a mere 40 years of experience
   using a 41 :-)  Soft alpha was mandated by marketing - the
   rationale being to "un-clutter" the keyboard.  Many of the
   changes to the "pure 41 design" grew from the physical
   package differences.  By the way, the 42S is NOT A PORT of
   the 41 code ... it is all brand new ...

>I mean, a 44 character ALPHA register?  Was this done because the ALPHA
>register has to be twice the display length, or was there a *good*
>reason?  :-)

   Some seasoned 41 users like the ability of writing to BOTH lines
   of the display.  Or do you prefer scr ... ooooo ... llllling
   in either scenario:  a 24-character ALPHA register, viewed only
   in the first line or a >44 character ALPHA register?

Pam Raby
pam%hp-pcd