Survey posted 2003-04-17 02:00 by Henrik.

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I let my parents borrow my TI-89 a few times. Here is what happens:

- They have no clue how to use it so they just give it back

or

- Instead of pressing ENTER they press the equals symbol for equations, then get mad that its too hard to use my calc. Then they put the case on backwards.

Not sure if they are a SO but still...

Oh yes, I love your parents... they are MY SOs. ;-) (j/k)

lol

So are RCT's parents. My SOs. (j/k again)

> Then they put the case on backwards.

I let someone borrow my HP-49g a few weeks back (soon after I got it) and they couldn't get the cover off (since it's upside-down in relation to TI's: it comes off the bottom). Then they totally forgot about that and tried to put it on the top like the TI calculators. Sad.... It just goes to show what a monopoly TI has on the US school calculator market.

I think it goes to show that the cover design for TI is better ;-) It only makes sense to go on the top (to me, anyway).

I would have to disagree.. TI's top-sliding cover design does have its problems. When the calculator gets old, the cover doesn't hold on to the calculator as well as it used to, and so you have to hold it at the bottom to make sure it does not slide off. Imagine walking with your TI, holding it by the case, and then all of a suudden, it slides out and falls to the ground. It is annoying for you at best, and destructive for the calc at worst.

I don't own an HP calc, but I can see how a bottom-sliding cover would eliminate theat problem. Of course, a bottom-sliding cover would get in the way of the linkport, so it's all a tradeoff. Putting the linkport at the top might avoid _that_, but then you'd be letting dust get in it, and it would make a docking cradle trickier to design. BTW, has anyone constructed a docking cradle for TI calcs, like the one for the TI keyboard?

To avoid the first problem:
1) Hold the calculator upside-down (that's the only advantage you're stating for the HP... it's upside-down)
or
2) Don't carry it by the case only.

Your solutions are
1) Impractical; you'd have to relearn your calculator's keys and screen. I only mentioned the "one advantage" because the slide orientation was the only feature we gave attention. HP calcs use the infrared port, which works best at the top of the calculator so you can hold your calculator and transmit with it right-side-up for you. Needless to say, the "upside down" cover works better for this design because you cannot let your cover block your IR port.

2) Difficult; You would have to hold the calculator either by the keypad, by the lower third of the sides, or by gripping the LCD, all the while trying to keep contact with the calculator while using it.

Beyond the handheld issues, a loose TI cover causes problems on desktops. Not all desks are perfectly level, and one that is inclined towards you steeply enough will cause the calculator to slip out of the cover whenever it is placed aside, such as when you are copying an answer from the screen to paper.

There are easier ways to get around the cover issue. I recommend the following remedy for all of the above problems: Pocket the cover while using the calculator.

1) Sorry... didn't quite make myself clear on the first one :) If you're holding it, for transportation, as in, going down the halls or something... then hold it upside down. If you're using it, take the cover off, if it bothers you.
2) I set it on a desk or some flat surface. It works well like that... but, I do agree that it is slightly more difficult to hold it without the case. You can get used to it though :)

Oh.. well, of course that would work then.

Wow. 8 replies down on this one.

I don't have to worry about that, I have a Voyage 200 :)

9 replies now.

HP calcs have the link port at the top. It's a 10-pin connector. HP-49gs don't have infrared, for various reasons. (cheating, expense, CPU limitations)

ti calculators are much better than hp calculators

The HP-49G is the best HP model, and it's actually pretty good, from what I've heard. Casios don't match up to TI, and since I've used TI all my life, I'd go with it as #1.

I gave my girlfriend my 86 and kept the 89 for me.

my 'significant other' does not know how to use my TI-89

This could have done well to have a "Why would I need to" option, seeing how my girlfriend has a TI-89 and never needs to borrow mine...

Not everyone carrys their TI calculators everywhere, even though I do. Sometimes a friend or significant other needs to borrow the calculator for something quick, or to use it in the absence of his/her own calculator. Now if your girlfriend carrys a TI-89 everywhere like it was a pocket organizer, it's terribly unlikely she will need or want to borrow yours, but it is not impossible. The poll is asking when that moment _does_ arrive, and it very well could, would you lend yours out?

I did too... that's how it got stolen.

PEOPLE: BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU PUT YOUR CALCULATORS.