As some of you with long memories may recall I'm something of a fan of the SPICE series, having owned several and extolled their virtues here before.
However I recently got lucky (auction) and managed to obtain my second WOODSTOCK machine. It is only a very basic HP21 model however it was in good condition and still works reliably. As with my HP25 I've been very impressed by the feel of the of it and even the keyboard layout - to quote a well known UK advertising slogan 'it does exactly what it says on the tin', no more, no less. I've been using it for the last couple of days at work, preparing some pricing figures, and I have to admit that I may be becoming a bit of a fan of the WOODSTOCK series. This little gem may just have found a place in my briefcase for a while, as it is time my HP33C had a bit of a rest.
Given the recent interesting discussions on this forum about the pros and cons of different keyboard layouts and form factors, I can't help but wonder if there there is something to be learnt from the designs of these older machines. Each was aimed at a specific type of user and if the HP21 and HP25 are anything to judge by they were very well thought out indeed. Interestingly I've found that while they are excellent hand-held machines (actually being that little bit smaller than the later SPICE series), they don't compare so well against later models when used on a desktop...
Perhaps this just emphasises how closely form has to follow function for things to 'just feel right'.
Mike T.