HP still make good calcs

[Chris Randle (UK)]

I've just bought a 19BII, and I think it's really good. Even better than I thought it would be. Don't be put off by the "Business Consultant" moniker. It has lots of useful functions in addition to all the TVM (etc.) stuff. Clock, appointments, text lists, number lists, solver (which can access the number lists), conversions, trig, stats, probability, etc., etc. RPN or algebraic - you choose. It's nicely made, a tad too big for some perhaps, but the clamshell design means you don't need a case. You can still buy them new. I suppose we'll have to wait until HP stop making them before everybody starts wishing they could still buy one? P.S. To the chap looking for a non-programmable RPN, this fits the bill too.

[W. Bruce Maguire II]

I'm that chap; I think.

Thanks for the suggestion. Although I don't own a 19bII, I did use a 28s for a long time. I loved the functionality and speed of the 28s, but I just couldn't stand the form factor. It bothered me that the calculator was not comfortable to hold in one hand. I may still get a 19bII though. And I do think that you're right that the 19bII will become more popular after its demise.

Anyone want to take bets how long it will be before HP produces NO scientific calculators with a big "Enter" key for RPN (probably synonymous with Algebraic being the primary OS and RPN optional at best)? The 49g is a sign, and I'll bet the 32sII is on its way out.

I say two years.

Anyone want to bet how long it will be before HP gets out of the calculator business altogether---by losing to TI?

I'm too depressed to even guess at this one.

Even though I work for TI, I HATE TI calculators. Ever since I could afford an HP I have been an HP fan. I am greatly saddened by the 49g---it is more style than substance. And it just looks like a TI. No big "Enter" key where it belongs, and bad keys; how sad.

Bruce.

p.s. I'm stockpiling the HPs now, and I'm hoping either my 7-year-old daughter or 5.5-year-old son will someday be using one!

[Jim L]

You're not the only one. I have a real fear of not being able to get a good RPN calc in the future and have a stash on hand. I'm an optimist about the future in general, but I'm not feeling optimistic about calcs right now. Hopefully HP will prove me wrong and I'll feel like those people who stocked shelters in the middle of nowhere with a year's worth of food in order to survive Y2K.

[John Ioannidis]

> ... in order to survive Y2K.

I'm told that the Californians are finding the gasoline-powered generators they bought mighty useful these days :-)

/ji

[Jim Kimes]

I agree with everything Chris is saying about the HP-19B. I just wish I had "discovered" it earlier. I've had mine about 4-5 months. However, I'm looking for a way to copy and paste like you do in Windows, but I guess you can't do that. For example, many of the formulas I use have variations, like probabilities, weighted average cost of capital, financial planning, etc. I don't like keying in the same basic elements over again. In other words, I would like to write a formula in Solver and then be able to copy that formula and then edit the copy to my liking, or copy just portions of the stem formula. Can anybody help? Thanks.

[Chris Randle (UK)]

I don't think you can, Jim.

There are two techniques that go some way toward helping. They are:

1) If the shared code produces a shared value, then you can reference the variable name in other equations and it maintains its value, (p.217).

2) You can merge two or more equations into one and use the S() function to decide which one of the equations to use when solving. The equations can be set equal to their shared code, (p.236).

The page references are from the owner's manual. If you don't have access to a copy, let me know and I'll post a couple of examples.