reverse Polish syntax

[lane912]

got a demo lighting console the other day that uses reverse Polish syntax for inputting commands. this sucked and I could not wrap my head around it, way worse than driving on the other side of the street in reverse.

does any of you like or see a benefit in the reverse Polish syntax?

[Don Plumley]

It's way, way, way faster, easier, and less error-prone than trying to use parenthesis. I've used an HP with RPN since high school and struggle with "normal" calculator notation.

[jyl]

I have used RPN on HP calculators for a long time. it is fast and holds interim results in memory almost automatically. Algebraic is very hard for me to use.

[Jim Richards]

I'm a long time RPN geek.

RPN: Value A, Value B, Operation.

Conventional: Value A, Operation, Value B, Equals.

RPN is quick and easy!

[masraum]

Yep, not sure what it would be like on a lighting console, but on a calculator, it's the best.

[lane912]

1(Chanel)56(thru)50(@ level) -RPN
or
1(thru)56(@)50 -standard

[stomachmonkey]

I always got a kick out of watching people pick my HP11C off my desk then just stare at it blankly looking for the = button.

[vash]

Boom! I have an arsenal of these. Three. I'm good for life.

[masraum]

I've got an RPN app on my phone, and also one installed on my PC. RPN is all I use. No one borrows my calc. Hahaha.

[jyl]

Alas, I've tried to get my kids to use RPN but it is dying out, since every high school math class supports only the TI-84 and the HP graphing calcs (HP48/49) are, I think, rather hard to use.

[rick-l]

Do you have to push down on the case right above the "E" button to get it to turn on? (How I got it for free)

Originally Posted by vash

Boom! I have an arsenal of these. Three. I'm good for life.

[IROC]

Originally Posted by masraum

I've got an RPN app on my phone, and also one installed on my PC. RPN is all I use. No one borrows my calc. Hahaha.

+1!! HP41CX app on my phone. It matches my HP-41CV sitting on my desk!

[vash]

TI was smart getting textbooks written around the 85. Brilliant.
In college we were given the option to try to keep up with the HP. In the end, I'd argue we got better with our tools cuz we had to scramble to keep up in the beginning.
I don't like the HP49.

[jyl]

I use HP12C and HP25C, via iPhone emulator.

Have a couple physical HP12C, HP11C, HP20, HP41CX, HP48G that I don't use much. And a HP97(?) that I use at work. Gave up trying to buy a working HP25C.

[Danimal16]

RPN, been using it since 1970.

I have all four versions of the HP35, both versions hp45, both versions of the HP80, HP55 (I love this one), HP65 (Moon Landing and LeMans), HP67, HP46 (desktop), HP91, HP92, HP9025, HP9015, HP10, HP10C, HP25, HP25C, HP19C, HP41C (first production, HP41CV, HP41CX and the list goes on and on. Yeah, I have always preferred the RPN machines.

[vash]

I'm al bubbling fool with my field calc. HP20s, which is NOT rpn. But it is pretty durable.

[onewhippedpuppy]

An HP 48 and 49 got me through engineering school. It was always amusing to let the TI users borrow my calculator.

[MBAtarga]

I've still got my 41CV, but it has the "normal" corrosion on the battery terminal flex circuitry. I've tried researching getting it repaired, but have struck out...

[Hawkeye's-911T]

It was always amusing to let the TI users borrow my calculator.

Man I can absolutely relate to that one. It gave me a me chuckle also when I pulled that stunt. I am dyed-in-the-wool member of the RPN group. I've used it for what seems like forever now.

Cheers
JB

[masraum]

I've still got the same HP 32SII RPN calc that a girlfriend got me for Christmas in 1989. It still works fine.