The most annoying feature on the 35s

[Tommy]

Hello
The most annoying feature on the 35s is: you must press key "1" before "E" in order to enter one million. Is this the only calculator with this feature? What about the 30b?
Cheers Tommy (Sweden)

[Martin Pinckney]

I did an inventory of my calculators.

17b, 27s require this extra step.

10b, 14b, 20s, 32sii, 42s, and 48sx do not.

[Karl Schneider]

Quote:

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The most annoying feature on the 35s is: you must press key "1" before "E" in order to enter one million. Is this the only calculator with this feature?

...

I did an inventory of my calculators.

17b, 27s require this extra step.

10b, 14b, 20s, 32sii, 42s, and 48sx do not.

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(Also, the HP-12C does not require the extra step.)

The likely rationale:

The HP-17B and HP-27S are business models having the same alphanumeric paradigm as the HP-42S. Business-oriented users are less likely than scienctific/engineering users to utilize the exponential-entry function -- denoted "E" instead of the traditional "EEx" -- and might confuse it with the alphabetical "E". Forcing pre-entry of a "1" or other numerical value on the HP-17B and HP-27S eliminates that risk. The HP-12C, HP-10B, and HP-14B were not alphanumeric, so that was not an issue.

I also disagree with requiring this extra data-entry step for the scientific-based HP-35S.

-- KS

Edited: 2 Aug 2010, 2:17 a.m.

[Norris]

The 35S (introduced 2007) is the latest model in an evolving series, which began with the 32S (1988), and continued with the 32SII (1991), and 33S (2003).

I have a 32SII and 33S, and they both allow one million to be entered as "E" "6", without an initial "1". Don't have a 32S, but expect that it would do the same.

If the 35S is different, then it would appear that this change was introduced as the 35S was developed.

Edited: 5 Aug 2010, 3:36 p.m.

[Karl Schneider]

Quote:

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If the 35S is different, then it would appear that this change was introduced as the 35S was developed.

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Hello, Norris! Long time no post?

I and others have noted that some RPL-based 'ways of doing things' were adopted in the HP-35S, such as:

• Entry of input into a buffer that is processed upon completion, rather than handling entry as a 12-digit number (except in Alpha, Program or Equation mode) and processing it as it is entered.
  
• Identification of a binary, octal, or hexadecimal number by an appended lowercase letter instead of by entry mode.
  

Perhaps the intent was unification of source code, but we RPN fans didn't like it very much...

-- KS

[Don Shepherd]

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What about the 30b?

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You don't need to press 1 first on the 30b, but EEX is normally a shifted function. However, you could assign it to a non-shifted key via a macro.

[designnut]

OK, so that is a minor annoyance, but try revising a program. It has some sticky labels hiddden in it that it won't let go of until you start all over. It doesn't tell you anoutt it, but it can surely make you put it away and turn to another calc. Sam

[Don Shepherd]

Sam, what exactly do you mean by "sticky labels"? I've had no trouble revising 30b programs as long as I remember that a new line is inserted BEORE the current displayed line, not AFTER.

Don

[Gene Wright]

I don't know what he's referring to either.