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Anyone know where I can find an HP40G? (not GS, or any other model). If I understand correctly, HP discontinued the model, so finding one must be pretty difficult. I didn't see any on ebay or anyhwere else... Does anyone know where I could find one, or does anyone own one they'd like to part with?
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You can also get a 39G and unlock the CAS.
While honestly I don't see any reason on earth to get either: bad hardware from the 49G (not +) and bad software from the 38G.
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I like the 49G hardware. The colors could be better, but the heft of the machine is great, and the rubber buttons are not your ordinary rubber buttons. I think the hardware is nicer than the G+ hardware.
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I've recently got a 40gs. It has a better feel than my 39g. The hardware is a close cousin to the 50g. I was even able to link both together, sort of. (The 50g can receive an object from the 40gs through the provided calc-to-calc cable. The object arrives as a string with some binary stuff in it, so this isn't really usable. I'm thinking about writing something new for the 39/40 series to make them interoperable).
Marcus
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What's wrong with the software of the 38g / 39g / 40g / 40gs series?
in many ways, it is a much more advanced working environment than the 50g.
?
Gene
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When used to the 49/50 the environment is very constrained. I had a 38 for a long time and could not use it. Once I got the manual, I started appreciating it.
Arnaud
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Yes, a real pain to use. Here is a very short summary of the most itrritating problems I ran into (from memory) :
- keyboard : good for big boys like me, but exhausting for normal users
- no printing at any place on screen in the manual (DISPXY exists, but is not documented, JYA himself told me about it) : DISP always erases a line and prints from column 1
- no catalog : exists for some CAS commands (not all), but not normal commands
- doesn't recall which menu and menu item you last used. Must browse again and again.
- input form cannot have more than one (!!!) field
- screen should display 8 lines but : one is used by a title no one on earth cares about, one is permanently used by the input line (no way around this, really), space is used by silly useless "decorating" horizontal lines -- the result is you can only see 2 expressions with their results on screen !
- No way to use the syntax help while typing an expression : HELPWITH must be used on the input line.
- very slow (I mean it never finishes) on simple things like integral of (x+1)/(x-1) over [-1,0]...
- (CAS) Step by step is mandatory for some functions but if activated needs lots of [OK] keypresses to finish other calculations
- irritating features like doesn't switch to alpha when creating a program an it asks you for program name
- no STO key, no Alpha Lock key
- a grand total of 26 variables... HP32S users rejoice, this one is no better at 256 K RAM !!
- syntax invented by a commitee : ":" and ";" and "," MUST ABSOLUTELY be used or MUST ABSOLUTELY BE OMITTED if in front of an ELSE or a WHILE or not or ... mind boggling
- did I say that syntax help is not available in program mode ??
- doesn't know that the end of a line **ENDS** a line, you must still use ";" (or ":" or "," ?)
- usual automatic de-indentation of your programs (no better than on the 49, maybe worse actually due to the contrived syntax)
- no function definitions (would be useful in the graphing environment in an ideal world)
- alpha characters are printed on the faceplate BELOW the offending key !! I typed the wrong character a countless number of times !!! This one is a killer.
- symbolic variables cannot have the same name in the CAS and in the normal environment -- <painful retyping on>
- Of course the aplets completely ignore each other, so some graph or solution cannot be combined into another aplet.
- Aplet programming is neither documented nor really possible on calc. Result : few aplets available compared to other models
- no access to RPL or any internal stuff
I regret that this machine has been so poorly designed. I don't care that the internal OS is capable of this or that, the user is just badly taken care of.
I purchase the 38G way back when and was disappointed, then purchased the 40G (these guys never learn !), and it happened again. This is bad.
Note that HP Basic is only slightly better on the 49, it needs te become simpler (easy on separators would relieve poor users a lot).
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Quote:
- no STO key, no Alpha Lock key
- a grand total of 26 variables... HP32S users rejoice, this one is no better at 256 K RAM !!
Yes, 26 variables is far too many. No one could possibly need that many while performing a series of manual calculations and STO 1, STO 2 etc is much much quicker than STO and the having to hunt around for the right alpha key.
;-)
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Agreed !! :-)
As constructive ideas are always better than pure criticism, here are some suggestions (than H&P will never care about...) :
- keyboard : rubber is OK, just make it a little less hard to press
- document DISPXY - oh wait there isn't even the need to update the few sheets o' paper delivered with the calc, just update the PDF
- catalog : make it an alphabetically sorted pop-up menu independent from the current context, available everywhere, and with ALL available words.
- input form : port the 49G capabilities to the 40G - and make it simpler to use, too
- screen available for user information : get rid of title, separator lines, and allow for one smaller font
- slow : fit an ARM to give it legs - and translate to ARM machine code !!
- STO, Alpha Lock : put them on the keyboard
- 26 variables : c'mon, this one is simple !!
- syntax : accept end of line as ending a line, don't use ';' and replace it with ',' everywhere.
- de-indentation : just deactivate word wrap or make it an option (will be always off on my calc)
- function definitions : don't know
- communication between Aplets :
- RPL access : make it switchable to RPL like 49G
- characters printed below the keys : another easily fixable design fault
If a 40G/GS follow-up fills this bill, I promise to buy it (these guys never learn !).
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Immagine the challenge for a teacher when every pupil has a tool at hand that is simpler, faster, and ... just better than he could ever be. How do you look like compared to a machine?
Ciao.....Mike
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Thanks for the replies.
http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/en/product/V0136
Is out of stock, and in New Zealand. Does anyone know of somewhere in the U.S. I could get an HP 40g? (not S)
Or does anyone who own one, want to part with it?
Thanks again for the response
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Hi,
I bought mine at dynatech.de some years ago. In my opinion, a beautiful and rugged machine - it still works great!
Just checked - they still have it for 77.95 Euro.
BTW - you get all the CAS commands is the home screen with "HELP"
Greetings
Axel
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Thanks for the response.
Unfotunately http://www.dynatech.de/ Doesn't seem to include the U.S. in their list of countries.
So I guess getting this calculator is just pretty much impossible, then?
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Hi,
dynatech.de is shipping in the US. I have a friend in the US who ordered a product. I don't remember exactly the shipping costs (about 30 EU ??). You can contact them about pricing.
Alternatively, you can ask at www.arizone.de. They probably ship to the US, too.
Good luck
Axel
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