TI with RPN

[Mario F.]

Why doesn't Texas Instrument implements an RPN mode to its calculators? They already own the market. It's not that they would lose face over HP.

I've been a longtime HP user. Since the HP-15C. But have been a disquieted by HP direction since the late 48 models. Currently I'm using a 50g, but frankly, what I perceive is this attempt of HP to win over the student market and compete more directly with TI is resulting in calculators with very little thought put into them. For instance, I still have headaches trying to make sense of a small enter key on a calculator offering RPN. I can't count the times I accidentally hit the SPC key trying to move a number up the stack. My relationship with the HP 50g is a love-hate one and I fear the day I end up trying it against the wall in frustration.

So, I've been looking at TI for a change. I do own a 84SE for quite a long time. Good build, nice functions, feels like it can last you for many years. But have made little use of it. I bought it more because of its processor. Since I had been programming the Z80 for some time, I got interested in working on something more modern (and useful) than old 80s console emulators. Programming a scientific calculator seemed cool. But lost interest not long after.

Trouble is TI doesn't support RPN and I really do not want to get into algebraic input. Once an RPN user, always an RPN user. You just won't go back.

So what the heck? Why isn't TI trying to appeal also to long time calculator users from before they were even a company? It's not that an RPN input mode is a difficult thing to implement.

[Epy]

When I first got my 50g (first and only HP calculator of mine), I remember looking on newsgroups and stuff and hearing about how crappy the 50g is compared to previous models. I like it though, never had any complaints except having to set keytime so that it doesn't miss presses.

[Aslaville]

Why doesn't Texas Instrument implements an RPN mode to its calculators? They already own the market. It's not that they would lose face over HP.

O.o

I didn't know Texas Instruments owned the market.

I've been using calculators for something like 10yrs - in school - Casio calculators currently I have fx-991ES.

Hey, I looked at the calculators you're talking about - I don't think they'll allow such in an exam room, at least where I study.

[Mario F.]

When I first got my 50g (first and only HP calculator of mine), I remember looking on newsgroups and stuff and hearing about how crappy the 50g is compared to previous models. I like it though, never had any complaints except having to set keytime so that it doesn't miss presses.

Don't take me wrong, I love the 50g. It's library of functions is out of this world. I do have to wear my glasses at night to use it though. The alpha and right-shift labels don't offer good enough contrast for my aging eyes. But that's sort of a minor issue; I do wear my glasses for many other things. It's the damn small enter key that really gets to me.

I didn't know Texas Instruments owned the market.

An overstatement of mine depending on where you look. What do I know of how architects use their calculators, right?

But at the level of educational institutions a little bit across the world, the TI is the reference calculator, bar none, for both students and teachers, from high school to college. Even text books are written with the TI line in mind. Since these are some of the last places where you can witness an everyday use of pocket calculators, it's not an overstatement to say that the TI owns the market with the largest share of the pie.