
Programming in System RPL - brudgers
http://www.hpcalc.org/details/5142
======
JohnStrange
I'm still looking for an ideal calculator, a fully programmable ruggedized
device with a small form factor, a powerful CAS, an outstanding keyboard,
clock and alarm, a sun-readable display (e-ink), and, most importantly, weeks
of battery life.

But I have to second cjsuk, User RPL and System RPL are not programming
languages you'd want to use nowadays for larger projects. Personally, I'd like
to see Lisp on such a device, but any kind of Basic, Pascal or Lua like
language with built-in hashtables and structures should be fine.

Anyway, as it looks now, the HP50g will be the last calculator I own. The
companies apparently think that the market isn't big enough. I believe there
is a demand for a machine like the above one, especially if it's also water
proof, but maybe I'm wrong.

~~~
dm319
Maybe the DM42?

programmable? kinda

rugged? a steel or titanium case, not sure, but yes

keyboard? should be good based on prior form

clock? yes

alarm? don't think so

e-ink? yes

weeks of battery? yes

This device may be hackable in the future, but it will be released based on
free42 and Intel's quad-precision decimal library which I think will make it
the most accurate handheld calculator.

Another option might be the numworks calculator[2] which runs python and is
open source. But doesn't meet your other criteria.

A third option might be the Gemini - a folding clamshell that runs linux.[3]
or even the pocket chip? [4]

[1]
[https://www.swissmicros.com/dm42.php](https://www.swissmicros.com/dm42.php)

[2][https://www.numworks.com](https://www.numworks.com)

[3][https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gemini-pda-android-
linux-...](https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gemini-pda-android-linux-
keyboard-mobile-device-phone#/updates/all)

[4][https://getchip.com/pages/pocketchip](https://getchip.com/pages/pocketchip)

~~~
JohnStrange
PocketChip: only 5 h battery life, not durable, but otherwise would be ideal -
but with 5h battery life it's nothing but a useless gimmick

DM42: no alarm, too limited programming (basically a HP42 clone), no CAS,
otherwise it would be ideal

gemini pda: too short battery life, way too expensive

numworks: kind of cool, but doesn't meet the criteria either, and it currently
still has math problems (accuracy changes with every firmware update, the
least thing I want from a calculator is inconsistent floating point
arithmetic)

If I knew more about electronics, I'd make my own device but my life is
unfortunately too short and too busy for that. I guess you can't always get
what you want. ;)

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cjsuk
As a former RPL programmer out of self interest, I think I’d rather gouge my
eyes out now. It’s one of those languages, like Perl, where you come back to a
project later and can’t understand any of it or remember how to write it.

I respect people who managed to build a working CAS in it however!

I still own an HP50g for the sake of nostalgia but it has been replaced with
python and a new Casio FX-991EX now.

~~~
dm319
Does the casio run python? I like the idea of having a portable machine I can
write quick programs in, but some of these calculator languages are horrible.
I'd rather write it in something a bit more mainstream like python or R.

The numworks calculator[1] has got a kinda beta implementation of python. The
other device I was thinking of was the Gemini (modern day psion) or something
similar.

[1][https://www.numworks.com](https://www.numworks.com)

~~~
cjsuk
No it doesn't. It's really just a scientific calculator with a solver built
in. It handles perhaps 95% of my requirements pretty well. Anything more
complicated than that heads to a mac. I've been using scipy, matplotlib and
sympy on that.

The basic graphing calculators from Casio, while not overly powerful have a
programming language that you can effectively drive on the device very easily.
I've seen people do some amazing stuff on them.

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flavio81
LOL, i recall programming in RPL and considering doing SystemRPL but it looked
as hard as programming the HP48 in assembly, without assembly's performance
(which was way faster than "user" RPL, by the way.)

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agumonkey
Oh, Carsten Dominik again.. I forgot he was a long time RPLer. And now an
Emacs REPLer.

Funny how many HPcalc users naturally liked Emacs

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sysrpl
Let me tell you about sysrpl. I'm well.

~~~
eeks
RPL is a fine language. System RPL gave me Tourette’s syndrome.

