Re: TI-83+

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Re: TI-83+

>Within context, I was speaking with respect to the math on the ACT, in
which
>the HP can do anything and everything the TI can do.

I think the discussion has moved beyond the original context.  Your argument
fails.

>Certain things are assumed here.  It would be a safe bet that anyone of
enough
>intelligence to require a graphing calculator can learn RPN in 5 minutes.
In
>fact, they already partially know it, assuming they are stepping up to a
>graphic calculator from a normal scientific calculator.  What sort of
notation
>do you think the TI-30 uses for trigonometric functions?

This is outright wrong.  High school students everywhere in the counrty are
required to buy graphing calculators for math class.  These are not (with a
small number of exceptions) people of intelligence enough to learn RPN.
Don't conpare the TI-30 either.  Yes other scientific calculators use
reverse notation for trig and square root, but try getting the average
student to add in RPN.  I guarantee you they will not know how to do 2 3 +
instead of 2 + 3.

>People appreciate different things.  This is called taste.  I guess some
people
>enjoy making extra keystrokes for parentheses.

No, people enjoy doing it on the calculator the way it is done on paper.
For RPN you must make that mental convertion.  Smart people can make this
adaptation, but most of us have no inclination to go through that trouble.

>Within context, I was speaking of productions of the user base, not the
>professional designers of the calculator.  And this statement is true:  try
to
>find a counterexample.

You keep mentioning this "user base".  So what you're saying is the HP48
can't stand on it's own against the TI's?

>Indeed, it is self explanatory.  In case the point eluded you, though, it
is
>this:  In 1986 HP released a calculator that was by and far better than any
TI
>calculator that was released for 10 years afterward.  Now, TI has released
a
>calculator that may be the equal of the HP48.  And yet HP will release
another
>calculator.  As I said before, based on past ecperience, HP's calculator
will
>be better than TI's calculators now and for years to come.

Mac users said the same thing about Windows 95 "It took Microsoft until now
to make what we've had for years."  Big whoop.  Windows had market dominance
even before they caught up to Mac.  TI had market dominance before they
caught up too.  I sincerely doubt the new HP is going to be as far ahead of
TI's products as the 48 was back in 1986.  They lost the advantage, and they
aren't going to get it back.

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