Hello, Wayne;
most of all, congrats! I'm mostly fond of LCD and "Continuous Memory" calculators ("memory contents holder", if I may...), but I know that LED's have their special... charm?
I own some LED' units: HP55, HP97, HP31, HP34C, HP38C and an HP38E, and using/programming them is a must. Also, I own two LED TI units (thanks, M.B.) and I like them as well.
The main "theme" here is the HP34C. Although Norm Hill is the one to be talking about it with "genuine passion" (has anyone "heard" from him? Norm, are you there, pall?), I personally take it as a great achievement. Many HP fans in here do not like Spices too much, and I guess it's because their design has founds on "cheap units". I am not quite sure if "cheap units" applies to both production cost AND unit price, because I remember the HP34C was somehow expensive when introduced. Maybe "profit needs" caused Spices not be exactly an "HP quality" series. Or maybe I wrote a lot of bull so far! If so, sorry folks!
Anyway, I remember when I was about to by a "dreamy" HP41C, I was offered an HP34C for an about 30% lower price, if I am not wrong. The last HP41C was supposed to be sold the day before, and I was completely "desolated". I gave up buying the HP34C and I was leaving when the owner of the store asked about what was going on. Well, there was one HP41C with one memory module that was not brought by someone (maybe he gave up). Well, there I was with my first (still with me) HP41C with one memory module. Last year I was able to put my hands in some Spices for the first time as a user and owner (I realized I never used any before that, although I repaired at least three units a long time ago), the HP34C included, and the feeling was great! One can see that the HP34C offers almost all math and programming resources available with the HP41. I think the HP34C is, in fact, closer to the HP11C, but it was released between the HP67/97 and the HP41C.
Too many words, wow! Enjoy it. It is a powerful unit, a very good calculator. If you liked the HP38E and you deal with scientific calcs as well as financial ones, you'll surely like the HP34C.
Cheers.
Luiz (Brazil)
Edited: 17 Apr 2004, 12:34 a.m.