HP 35s, keyboard buffer, bug, feature or what?

[Patrick Rendulic]

I just made the following interesting discovery. I used my 35s to add the following numbers:

2 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 0.5 + 1 = 20.5

When doing such an operation, I use my left thumb for keying in the numbers and my right thumb for pushing the "+" key. I can do that really fast without looking at the keyboard. My 32sii gives the corect answer, always, regardless how fast I am. But on the 35s it is pure luck to get the right answer. Here are some answers: 4323.04; 38.5; 4937.04; 20.5; 20.5; 39; 20.5; 57

It seems that there is a problem with the key buffer, or the machine responds too slow. When operating the keys too fast, the "+" operation is not executed.

Am I the only one with this problem ?

[Chris Dean]

I had no problem with this. I repeated the calculation three times and constantly got the correct answer.

[Thomas Radtke]

Quote:

---

It seems that there is a problem with the key buffer, or the machine responds too slow. When operating the keys too fast, the "+" operation is not executed.

Am I the only one with this problem ?

---

Nope. Pressing and releasing the binary operator keys real fast results in missed strokes. The numeric keys don't seem to have that problem. I noticed this some days ago.

However, that was just a test, the speed necessary to miss the operator is beyond what I actually use.

[Bruce Bergman]

I tried that sequence on my 35s (and a 17bii+ I had nearby) with no problems other than the occasional fat-fingering it on my part. I did the run several times so that I could get it pretty fast, and even after multiple attempts, I got the correct result.

Are you REALLY REALLY REALLY fast?? :-) Just too fast for any modern calc?

thanks,
bruce