May 2021 Speculations

General discussion about calculators, SwissMicros or otherwise
elgarak
Posts: 24
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:47 pm

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by elgarak »

johanw wrote:
Sun May 30, 2021 3:23 am
elgarak wrote:
Sat May 29, 2021 1:27 pm
I have studied physics, and I have NEVER been in a written exam with a calculator allowed where the availability of numerical tools would have been helpful to gain enough points to pass.
I have. I studied applied physics and I still have nightmares about my linear algabra 3 exam which I had to do 7 times to pass... Question 1 was always "Given the complex matrix A = ..., calculate the eigenvalues and eigenvectors". I always made some mistake that caused the answer to be horrible so I got stuck in the later questions that used it, while the answer was usually quite simple.

A 15C would have helped me a lot. They were available brand new then but (a) I didn't know they could do matrix math then and (b) I could probably not have afforded one anyway. My money was put in a Casio FX-8000G which I could not use on most exams. But exam rules were not very formal, if the calculator looked "simple" enough you were allowed to use it.
They allowed a calculator in a Linear Algebra exam??

Yes, I recall a Quantum Mechanics mechanics exam which was done all in Linear Algebra. The exams before went horribly bad because of difficult integrals, so the prof thought to stir things up. Didn't help, because most students didn't remember how to calculate eigenvalues (which was taught in 1st semester, and the QM exam was 5th semester). But there was no calculator allowed. Theoretical physics and Mathematics departments never allowed calculators.
User avatar
Walter
Posts: 3070
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 11:13 am
Location: On a mission close to DRS, Germany

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by Walter »

johanw wrote:
Sun May 30, 2021 3:23 am
... I studied applied physics and ... A 15C would have helped me a lot. They were available brand new then but (a) I didn't know they could do matrix math then and (b) I could probably not have afforded one anyway. My money was put in a Casio FX-8000G which I could not use on most exams. But exam rules were not very formal, if the calculator looked "simple" enough you were allowed to use it.
I've studied physics just a few years earlier but remember tutors knew the state-of-the-art calculators very well at that time (assume this still holds today). So a "simple" looking capable calculator would have never passed. And the problems were set up in a way that any calculator had been of very limited help. After all they wanted to know if you have comprehended the topics covered or not. Numeric was secondary.
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
Linus_Sch
Posts: 60
Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 9:33 am

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by Linus_Sch »

In my time at university, from 2010 onwards, I've either been allowed to have my 50g (courses given by engineering, physics, chemistry or CS/IT departments) or no calculator at all was allowed (courses given by math department). What was not allowed was to have programs or notes stored in the calculator. I owe my degree to my 50g.

Back to speculations: large screen 15, with names of functions rather than keycodes when programming? I'd want that, and I'm an RPL guy. :D
User avatar
RAPo
Posts: 290
Joined: Wed May 03, 2017 6:54 pm
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by RAPo »

Stumpfenstiel wrote:
Fri May 28, 2021 5:45 pm
SwissMicros announces a new entry level calculator model https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxT3nF_A0bU
now for the next two questions: when? how much?
would love to be a beta tester again.
DM41X beta: SN00018.
DM41X: SN00496.
DM42 beta: SN00074.
DM42:SN06020.
DM42 converted to C47 SN08973
DM10L: SN056/100.
DM11L: SN 02058.
DM15L: SN2074.
DM16L: SN2156.
DM15, DM16, DM41
and a whole bunch of the original HP's,
EdPi314
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun May 23, 2021 5:16 pm

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by EdPi314 »

Newbie to this forum. I am Eddie W. Shore from the MoHPC forum.

I am thinking that the next calculator would be on the lines of the HP 25C or HP 45. Whatever the model is, I look forward to what SwissMicros does next. :D
User avatar
48GX
Posts: 180
Joined: Wed May 20, 2020 4:37 am

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by 48GX »

A 35s but a little different?
Waiting for SM to release DM42 hardware with one additional row of keys.
DM42, DB48X, DM32, HP42s, DM41X, HP35s, DM41L
Raising a next generation RPN/RPL user.
minimuck
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2021 5:14 pm

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by minimuck »

Ok, this is slightly going off topic so please forgive me :)

The best statements of my first Analysis Prof (will never forget him):

First question in the opening lecture
Prof: "What do you have to bring to each lesson?"
Students: Paper, calculator, pen & paper, coffee, ...
Prof (slightly bugged): Brain!

A couple of days before exams, one of the rarer seen students asked the round for scripts triggering an impulsive response from the Prof:
"Do you know the difference between copying and understanding?"
Pun in German: "Kennen Sie den Unterschied zwischen kopieren und kapieren?"

Finally on random occasion:
Prof: "Only thinking for yourself makes you prudent"
"Nur selber denken macht schlau!"
I try to follow this advice ever since but it's not always working ;)

We were allowed to use a calculator in the exam but guess what they were of no use to us, no need to crunch any number...

For the most part of my professional career I am working in compiler construction groups and all infix token streams must be converted into prefix expressions first (so yes, I fully support RPN in schools but doubt that education government officials even understand the concept of a stack...:)
User avatar
Walter
Posts: 3070
Joined: Tue May 02, 2017 11:13 am
Location: On a mission close to DRS, Germany

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by Walter »

I fullheartedly concur. Where did you study?
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
minimuck
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2021 5:14 pm

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by minimuck »

FH Würzburg
HPMike
Posts: 439
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:01 pm
Location: DFW, Texas

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by HPMike »

EdPi314 wrote:
Tue Jun 01, 2021 9:44 pm
Newbie to this forum. I am Eddie W. Shore from the MoHPC forum.

I am thinking that the next calculator would be on the lines of the HP 25C or HP 45. Whatever the model is, I look forward to what SwissMicros does next. :D
Welcome, Eddie. It could be the HP 25C, but not the HP 45, because the latter is not keystroke programmable. Frankly, I don't see why anyone would want to go backwards from the magnificent HP 15C (DM15L), which is keystroke programmable with no menus, and offers complex math, matrix math, root solver, integration, linear regression, coordinate conversion, statistics, hyperbolic functions, etc. Frankly, I would rather see something with a non-volatile flash drive like the DM41X and DM42, so I don't lose all my programs and data every time the batteries are changed or the calculator has to be reset. I'd be perfectly happy with a modern HP 15C in portrait layout.
DM15L, S/N 00548. DM42, SN: 00159. DM41X, SN: 00973. DM32, SN 00054.
Post Reply