May 2021 Speculations

General discussion about calculators, SwissMicros or otherwise
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nlj
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:04 pm

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by nlj »

I thought I'd take a turn at the idle speculation game:

1. An upgrade to the DM41X / DM42 platform (more memory, better keyboard, higher quality key printing etc.) or a new platform altogether.

2. A new calculator on the existing platform, maybe a 43.

3. Full-featured i/o for the DM41X (RS-232, HP-IL?).

4. An (optional) aesthetically-pleasing display font on the DM41X.

5. A DM 48/49/50.

6. A DM 200LX.

7. Nice blue leather cases for the DM41X / DM42.
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Dan Simpson
Posts: 104
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Location: Arizona

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by Dan Simpson »

I am hoping for nlj's item #3.

Or even better, a collaboration with J-F Garnier to produce the DM72.
http://www.jeffcalc.hp41.eu/emu71/emu72.html
My Collection: HP-55, HP-67 (Teenix Mod), HP-15C, HP-16C, HP-41CV, HP-41CX, SY41-CL, DM41X, DM42, HP-42S, HP-48G, HP-71B, HP-75C, HP-86B.
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ijabbott
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Location: GB-MAN

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by ijabbott »

nlj wrote:
Sat May 08, 2021 12:39 pm
4. An (optional) aesthetically-pleasing display font on the DM41X.
Even a font with overlapping segments would look better, and wouldn't need any changes to the underlying ROM code that chooses the segments to be displayed.
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OlidaBel
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Location: Belgium

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by OlidaBel »

nlj wrote:
Sat May 08, 2021 12:39 pm
4. An (optional) aesthetically-pleasing display font on the DM41X.
Do you have an example showing what’s not aesthetic with the current font ? Just curious... , I don’t own a DM41X.
On pictures it’s seems like the original...
Thanks.
---
Olivier
48GX, Prime G2, 50G, DM15L, DM42, 28S, HP 15c CE
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Walter
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Location: On a mission close to DRS, Germany

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by Walter »

I'm afraid all good points don't count against hardcore 41 nostalgia.
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
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akaTB
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Location: Milan, Italy

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by akaTB »

Walter wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 11:59 am
I'm afraid all good points don't count against hardcore 41 nostalgia.
Of course.
Do you need something different? Make something different, like a WP43.
Greetings,
    Massimo
ajcaton
-+×÷ left is right and right is wrong :twisted: Casted in gold
nlj
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:04 pm

Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by nlj »

OlidaBel wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 11:56 am
Do you have an example showing what’s not aesthetic with the current font ? Just curious... , I don’t own a DM41X.
On pictures it’s seems like the original...
Sorry, no, I don't. I'm inclined to believe that there is no absolute aesthetic existing like a Pythagorean ideal, but rather that beauty is in the eye (and heart and mind) of the beholder. Probably I should have chosen more neutral words like "an optional alternative font" or something.

Yes, my understanding is that the display font on the DM41X is a faithful rendition of the original, which has great appeal for many of its potential users. But that is also what is wrong with it! It was maybe the best that could be done with the limited display technology available to the creators of the original machine, but with the display on the DM41X there is scope for something much better. It would not be desirable or sensible to replace the existing font, which is a very neat achievement in the calculator, but to provide the option of an alternative would seem a plausible thing to do (if it were technically feasible).
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Walter
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Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by Walter »

akaTB wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 12:33 pm
Walter wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 11:59 am
I'm afraid all good points don't count against hardcore 41 nostalgia.
Of course.
Do you need something different? Make something different, like a WP43.
Signore Massimo, no lascia ogni speranza, we are working on it. See https://gitlab.com/Over_score/wp43s/-/releases. How many glitches did you find so far? Thanks in advance for your support.
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
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akaTB
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Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by akaTB »

Walter wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 3:23 pm
akaTB wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 12:33 pm
Walter wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 11:59 am
I'm afraid all good points don't count against hardcore 41 nostalgia.
Of course.
Do you need something different? Make something different, like a WP43.
Signore Massimo, no lascia ogni speranza, we are working on it. See https://gitlab.com/Over_score/wp43s/-/releases. How many glitches did you find so far? Thanks in advance for your support.
Entschuldigen Sie, Herr Walter, I am not hopeless, but was I enrolled in some beta testing stage? :mrgreen:
Greetings,
    Massimo
ajcaton
-+×÷ left is right and right is wrong :twisted: Casted in gold
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Walter
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Re: May 2021 Speculations

Post by Walter »

akaTB wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 6:11 pm
Walter wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 3:23 pm
akaTB wrote:
Sun May 09, 2021 12:33 pm
Of course.
Do you need something different? Make something different, like a WP43.
Signore Massimo, no lascia ogni speranza, we are working on it. See https://gitlab.com/Over_score/wp43s/-/releases. How many glitches did you find so far? Thanks in advance for your support.
Entschuldigen Sie, Herr Walter, I am not hopeless, but was I enrolled in some beta testing stage? :mrgreen:
Scusa, signore Massimo, we do not raid the close community and take prisoners for beta-testing but offer our software to the community and invite them (see the link above). So if you wait for being caught and enrolled (a nice word ;) ) for beta-testing you may wait longer. But if you simply dare to test it will be more fun for you most probably.

What do you need? A computer, laptop, or the like (I assume you've got one) and optionally a DM42 or DM41X (I assume you've got one, too) you may flash (hmmh?). Then please follow the instructions. If/when there should be any ambiguities don't hesitate to ask - you know us, we typically react quite fast since 2011 at least. :mrgreen:
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
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