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Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 12:01 pm
by Walter
This updates and continues the post above:
Walter wrote:
Sat Dec 16, 2017 3:45 pm
First, thanks to the team for providing it (the QRG)! The colors chosen look more reasonable than those within the manual.
I came across the following:
  1. Why is this QRG not (also) available as printable PDF?
  2. "Unlike Application menus, a Function menu closes as soon as you have used one of the functions that it contains ..." I must admit I frowned when reading that. I'd suggest using either "Application Menus" or "application menus" but not a mix. Same for function menus, please.
  3. I don't see "physical buttons" called [BASE] or [CUSTOM] etc. Please think about the format definitions you made. Maybe you need a third format for shifted labels ...
  4. You write about "Real numbers" and "Complex numbers". It simply feels wrong. Same with rectangular and polar, matrix, etc. I'd suggest using lower case consistently in line with the HP-42S Owner's Manual.
  5. "If need be you can reduce its size with the SIZE command from the MODES menu." I'd suggest "If necessary you can ...".
  6. "Real numbers are whole or decimal numbers, positive or negative. The range of numbers that the DM42 can handle is approximately 10^-6143 to 10^6144 with an accuracy of 34 digits." I'd suggest instead "Real numbers cover integer and decimal numbers, positive or negative. The range of numbers that the DM42 can handle is approximately 10^-6143 to 10^6144 with a precision of 34 digits."
  1. "When ALL is selected, numbers are displayed with up to 12 digits of precision..." should read "... 12 digits precision..." instead.
  2. Please stick to usual capitalisation rules in titles.
  3. "All of the DM42's built in functions are available..." should read "All of the built in functions of the DM42 are available..." instead (a calculator is no person, even a DM42 is not ;) ).
  4. "These functions understand one or more of the following addressing modes: ..." Hmmh. "Understand" sounds wrong. Maybe "accept" instead?
  5. "Program Entry" or "Program-Entry" - please choose one and stick to it.
  6. "PRGM enter or exit Program-entry mode" shall read "PRGM enters or exits Program-entry mode." instead.
  7. "Global labels are distinguished from local labels with quotation marks" shall read "... by quotation marks" instead.
  8. ...
  9. ... to be continued (BTW, is there any way to continue a numbered list or to let it begin with a number other than 1?).

Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 1:13 pm
by toml_12953
Walter wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 12:01 pm

[*]"All of the DM42's built in functions are available..." should read "All of the built in functions of the DM42 are available..." instead (a calculator is no person, even a DM42 is not ;) ).
Why? Inanimate objects are certainly capable of having things associated with or belonging to them (the apostrophe signifies both). "The monitor's resolution can be changed." is a perfectly good sentence according to my Canadian, American and Australian friends. Maybe the UK is different?
[*]"These functions understand one or more of the following addressing modes: ..." Hmmh. "Understand" sounds wrong. Maybe "accept" instead?
Again, functions understand certain parameters and modes. We don't make distinctions between living beings and inanimate objects in most cases.


I have found that most people who speak languages in addition to their native tongue have an excellent technical command of the foreign language but their mastery of unwritten common useage rules are generally lacking. I know when I travel in Europe people in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and other countries where those languages are used can understand me perfectly but they'd never be fooled into thinking I was from there. I try not to speak French in France, however. While the French understand me, they get very rude when they hear my accent. In Italy on the other hand, I get nothing but compliments for my imperfect Italian.


Ciao!

Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:46 pm
by Walter
Our English teacher came from Scotland and taught us the genitive with "'s" shall be used for animals (including mankind) only IIRC. Though more than five decades ago. Meanwhile, I learned that at least Americans are very ... mmh ... liberal (heaven beware!!! Of course only) grammar-wise. Please correct me if I'm holding up some outdated Queen's English only.

Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:47 pm
by toml_12953
Walter wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:46 pm
Our English teacher came from Scotland and taught us the genitive with "'s" shall be used for animals (including mankind) only IIRC. Though more than five decades ago. Meanwhile, I learned that at least Americans are very ... mmh ... liberal (heaven beware!!! Of course only) grammar-wise. Please correct me if I'm holding up some outdated Queen's English only.
Scotland!?! That explains a lot! :lol:

Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 3:44 pm
by Walter
toml_12953 wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:47 pm
Walter wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:46 pm
Our English teacher came from Scotland and taught us the genitive with "'s" shall be used for animals (including mankind) only IIRC. Though more than five decades ago. Meanwhile, I learned that at least Americans are very ... mmh ... liberal (heaven beware!!! Of course only) grammar-wise. Please correct me if I'm holding up some outdated Queen's English only.
Scotland!?! That explains a lot! :lol:
Well, while it's almost certain that little Scotland will beat the great USA in football (i.e. soccer for our transatlantic friends), I'm not so sure about the result of a grammar and spelling contest. Let the flames begin! Duck and cover!
([:-)

Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 3:48 pm
by grsbanks
Walter wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:46 pm
Our English teacher came from Scotland and taught us the genitive with "'s" shall be used for animals (including mankind) only IIRC. Though more than five decades ago. Meanwhile, I learned that at least Americans are very ... mmh ... liberal (heaven beware!!! Of course only) grammar-wise. Please correct me if I'm holding up some outdated Queen's English only.
You are indeed upholding a "rule" that no longer exists. I'm rather old-fashioned when it comes to written English (I wrote that secion of the QRG you referred to). One thing I still refuse to do, for example, is to split infinitives. Eg. "I want to really flatten the battery before I replace it" is WRONG!!! (in my books...) I would say "I want to flatten the battery completely before I replace it."

Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 10:52 pm
by toml_12953
grsbanks wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 3:48 pm
Walter wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:46 pm
Our English teacher came from Scotland and taught us the genitive with "'s" shall be used for animals (including mankind) only IIRC. Though more than five decades ago. Meanwhile, I learned that at least Americans are very ... mmh ... liberal (heaven beware!!! Of course only) grammar-wise. Please correct me if I'm holding up some outdated Queen's English only.
You are indeed upholding a "rule" that no longer exists. I'm rather old-fashioned when it comes to written English (I wrote that secion of the QRG you referred to). One thing I still refuse to do, for example, is to split infinitives. Eg. "I want to really flatten the battery before I replace it" is WRONG!!! (in my books...) I would say "I want to flatten the battery completely before I replace it."
Excerpts from Tom Lake's Rules of English:
  • Never verbify nouns.
    A preposition is a bad thing to end a sentence with.
    Never split infinitives up.
    Don't dangle your participles in public.
    Punctuation is important. "Let's eat, Mom" is quite different from "Let's eat Mom".
    Don't never use double negatives.

Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:02 pm
by Guenter
Walter wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:46 pm
Our English teacher came from Scotland and taught us the genitive with "'s" shall be used for animals (including mankind) only IIRC. Though more than five decades ago. Meanwhile, I learned that at least Americans are very ... mmh ... liberal (heaven beware!!! Of course only) grammar-wise. Please correct me if I'm holding up some outdated Queen's English only.
That reminds me of a conference in 2001 in Washington DC. We were sitting around and had a discussion on a specific wording. My Italian collegue suggested to ask a native English speaker. So I looked around and could only state: Don't see a native English speaker - me from Germany, you from Italy. Then we have gentlemen from Scotland, USA, Canada, France, Spain and Norway! Sorry no native English speaker.

I had agreement by everyone :)

Günter

UK and USA - two nations divided by a common language

Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:44 pm
by rprosperi
Guenter wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:02 pm
UK and USA - two nations divided by a common language
USA - One nation divided by a common language. Have you been to the deep South?
(Or from their perspective - Have you ever been to the far North?)

Re: First impressions of the official DM42

Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2017 12:07 am
by Guenter
rprosperi wrote:
Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:44 pm
USA - One nation divided by a common language. Have you been to the deep South?
(Or from their perspective - Have you ever been to the far North?)
Difficult to answer. During my time as an air transport pilot I've been at a lot of places, like Huntsville,Al or Ft Lauderdale,Fl. But the lay over time was always pretty short. I spent considerable time at El Paso,Tx, almost a second home base then. I got used to their language - even across the border in Juarez :)
I had the hardest time in the Yellowstone NP, Wy in 2013. On the check in at a hotel in Mammoth Hot Springs, I finally gave up to understand what the lady at the front desk was trying to explain :roll:
On the other hand, prior to our meeting this year, we spent some days in Me, Ma and NH without problems language wise. And during my very frequent flights into Winnipeg, Manitoba there weren't problems at all.

Günter