Walter wrote: ↑Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:27 pm
jfb9301 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 08, 2018 5:39 pm
Looking back at the keyboard layout, I have a question.
Why are the operators /*-+ on the left and the exit, up, down... on the right?
As Bob wrote already, this is a religuous topic
Nevertheless I'll try to summarice the facts:
All of HP's pocket calculators up to and including the famous HP-41C had the arithmetic operators on the left below ENTER. The Voyagers had to put them on the right for obvious reasons. With the Pioneers, they staid on the right - but ENTER remained on the left. So much about HP's logical development.
There was a
very extensive discussion of this topic on the forum of MoHPC in 2012 IIRC, followed by a poll. After all, many people agreed on ENTER and the 4 operators should be in the same column (for various reasons). And the poll resulted in our decision (we, the developers) to place the 4 operators on the left, backed by a majority of votes IIRC.
So, now they are there.
There is, however, a medicine for those who would rather die than accept the 4 operators there: you're free to reassign each and every key and function of the 43S except USR. Hope this helps.
I had the same reaction when I saw the layout.
The fact people are divided on the position of the +, -, * and / may come from being left- or right-handed.
As a right-handed individual, I find that having the most frequent keys in the arc of my right thumb more convenient when I hold the calculator. Reaching the left column is a little harder, so it's fine for the initial ENTER but it's nice to have the main binary operators on the left for me. When it's on the desk it doesn't matter as much, of course.
The same applies to the f and g keys, it's often used so I like to have them close to the bottom, not up there, while the up/down and XEQ keys are less often used I think. At the end of the day, it should be guided by ergonomics and statistics like keyboards. Though I know there were compromises with the AZERTY and QWERTY layouts for mechanical reasons, but Bépo is a very good example of an ergonomic-based decision.
It remains that there are right- and left-handed people, so it will never please everyone.
PS: yes, I know, it's a later answer. I knew of the WP 34S project but I'm just discovering this one, nice! Hopefully a good inspiration for a next Swissmicros calculator.