DM42 User Manual

Discussion around the SwissMicros DM42 calculator
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Guenter
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by Guenter »

H2X wrote:
Tue Dec 05, 2017 9:41 pm
Walter wrote:
Tue Dec 05, 2017 8:53 pm
grsbanks wrote:
Mon Dec 04, 2017 4:45 pm
For what it's worth, the F1 to F6 keys work whether the DM42 menu is displayed or not.
Certainly - but with the menu displayed I know what I press while else I hope I remember correctly what I read days ago in a post far, far away. See the difference? :P
Which is also subject to change in any future firmware update as well. I too prefer to see the menu stay, not toggle at the press of one of the menu's own softkeys... Are we alone, Walter? :?
Don't know if you're alone. At least I do not agree with your views. For me it's rather convenient to switch the permanent menu on or off just with a fingertip. Usually when in stack mode I leave the menu on in order to prevent the stack from jumping up and down. On the other hand, when in program mode I'd like to be able to switch the permanent menu off, so I can see more lines. And yes I can control my fingers not to inadvertently switch it on or off.

In addition I can't see any benefit by hiding this functionality somewhere in the setup menu. Even at an age of 70 I'm able to always remember that F2 is the key to the keys.

Günter
Günter
DM42 SN:00004 and SN:00184 -- DM41X SN:00013 and SN:00955
H2X
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by H2X »

rprosperi wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:15 pm
So, again, I meant no disrespect or indeed criticism of other peoples comments; sorry if it came out that way.
None taken, by me anyway. I just wanted to clarify for my own part at least, that whatever might appear critical is only meant in the best sense, constructively. I may also occasionally think aloud and unfiltered. I have been told that's a good way to brainstorm.
What is the metric tensor in imperial units?
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Walter
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by Walter »

Guenter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:28 pm
Even at an age of 70 I'm able to always remember that F2 is the key to the keys.
Depends on how many more undocumented UIs you've to remember...
People say life of retirees lacks variety. ;)
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by H2X »

Guenter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:28 pm
H2X wrote:
Tue Dec 05, 2017 9:41 pm
Walter wrote:
Tue Dec 05, 2017 8:53 pm
... when in program mode I'd like to be able to switch the permanent menu off, so I can see more lines.
Well, that's a use case that I missed. I see your point, although I am not ready to abandon mine. Toggling the menu from inside the menu feels catch-22-ish, even if I eventually do come around to wanting to toggle it on a regular basis.
What is the metric tensor in imperial units?
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Guenter
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by Guenter »

Walter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:16 pm
Guenter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:28 pm
Even at an age of 70 I'm able to always remember that F2 is the key to the keys.
Depends on how many more undocumented UIs you've to remember...
People say life of retirees lacks variety. ;)
Pfhhh, those young people - always need to read documents to correctly operate their technical systems. We older ones have learned not waste our time with such behaviour, we once familiarize ourselves with that stuff and then we're done for decades (or minutes?) 8-)

Günter
Günter
DM42 SN:00004 and SN:00184 -- DM41X SN:00013 and SN:00955
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Walter
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by Walter »

Guenter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:42 pm
Walter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:16 pm
Guenter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:28 pm
Even at an age of 70 I'm able to always remember that F2 is the key to the keys.
Depends on how many more undocumented UIs you've to remember...
People say life of retirees lacks variety. ;)
Pfhhh, those young people - always need to read documents to correctly operate their technical systems. We older ones have learned not waste our time with such behaviour, we once familiarize ourselves with that stuff and then we're done for decades (or minutes?) 8-)
Aaagewwer! 8-)

(Edit: For our unilingual readers: Bragger)
Last edited by Walter on Sat Dec 09, 2017 9:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by toml_12953 »

Guenter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:42 pm
Walter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 9:16 pm
Guenter wrote:
Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:28 pm
Even at an age of 70 I'm able to always remember that F2 is the key to the keys.
Depends on how many more undocumented UIs you've to remember...
People say life of retirees lacks variety. ;)
Pfhhh, those young people - always need to read documents to correctly operate their technical systems. We older ones have learned not waste our time with such behaviour, we once familiarize ourselves with that stuff and then we're done for decades (or minutes?) 8-)

Günter
Heh, heh! After using a product (or computer language) for a long time, I find I end up restricting myself to a subset of the capability. By re-reading the manual, I can sometimes discover features I used to know but have forgotten over time. Without a good manual, those features would be forever lost in the dungeons of my mind (like the windmills of my mind only darker and scarier!)
Tom L

Some people call me inept but I'm as ept as anybody!
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Walter
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by Walter »

Well, the following concerns the manual edition 3.0 published yesterday:
  1. First of all, I'm very happy that eventually some work became effective in this matter since July. :D Thanks. Great job! Great author(s?)!
    Though I came across a few things:
  2. Why is this text not available as printable pdf?
  3. There are rules for capitalization in English titles. Please stick to them!
  4. Why do you print blue keys in the manual while the DM42 features white labels on black keys or yellow labels on the black keyplate?
  5. Why do you print white SHIFT on blue in the manual while the real key is yellow without any label?
  6. Why is there a paragraph for almost each and every single sentence?
  7. Why is there a "Bootloader" and a "bootloader", sometimes even in the same sentence? BTW, I think lower case suits it better.
  8. Why is there "programed" and "programming" written in the same sentence?
  9. "Main Setup menu" "About > Displays About screen." Hmmh, I'd have guessed something like that. Please add a sample screenshot at least. And I'd feel better if you'd write "... Displays an 'About' screen." or "... Displays a screen typically looking like pictured here." or whatever you find more meaningful.
  10. "First one DM42_flash_2.10.12.bin contains main firmware stored in CPU’s flash and second one DM42_qspi_2.10.12.bin contains additional data stored in auxiliary QSPI flash." I'd suggest instead: "First file (DM42_flash_2.10.12.bin) contains main firmware stored in flash memory of the CPU and second one (DM42_qspi_2.10.12.bin) contains additional data stored in auxiliary QSPI flash."
  11. "While the contents of main flash changes with each firmware version. The QSPI contents is usually preserved and it will be explicitly noted in release notes when the QSPI contents changes." I'd suggest instead: "While the contents of main flash changes with each firmware version, the QSPI contents is usually preserved, and it will be explicitly noted in release notes when the QSPI contents changes."
  12. "There is built-in QSPI loader available ..." should read instead "There is a built-in QSPI loader available ...".
  13. "The dm_tool takes care about QSPI loader itself." should read instead "The dm_tool takes care of the QSPI loader itself."
  14. "Activate USB disk from the "QSPI Load" menu and copy DM42_qspi_xxx.bin firmware to calculator’s root directory." should be replaced by "Activate the USB disk from the "QSPI Load" menu and copy the firmware DM42_qspi_xxx.bin to the root directory of the calculator."
  15. You write about a "USB disk" and a "flash disk" and a "FAT disk". Looks to me you mean the same thing always - if true please choose one term.
  16. Why will I most probably find more when I will read closer? :( Most of it is about consistency and coherence, and the lack of them generates an impression of ... alas ... suboptimal quality which the DM42 doesn't deserve. Poor little calculator ... :shock:
  17. Edit: The explanation of SHIFT-F5 reads cryptic.
Last edited by Walter on Fri Dec 15, 2017 5:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
grsbanks
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by grsbanks »

Walter wrote:
Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:49 am
Well, the following concerns the manual edition 3.0 published yesterday:
The author is not a native English speaker (I know, you aren't either, but your English may be a bit better than his).

The reason I've not dug into this in any depth (I am a native English speaker) is because my paid job has been taking a lot of my spare time away lately.

One of the things I promised the SwissMicros team is actually a printable PDF, so that point will be ironed out soon as well. Perhaps you would like to contribute to that?
There are only 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary and those who do not.
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Walter
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Re: DM42 User Manual

Post by Walter »

grsbanks wrote:
Fri Dec 15, 2017 3:51 pm
One of the things I promised the SwissMicros team is actually a printable PDF, so that point will be ironed out soon as well. Perhaps you would like to contribute to that?
Feel free to contact me as soon as you need support in this matter. I've got some experience in writing manuals. ;)
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
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