From: anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Anthony J Stieber)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Subject: Re: The "high price" of the HP48!
Date: 1 Jan 1993 20:11:44 GMT
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.89.7.4

In article <PHR.92Dec31125342@napa.telebit.com> phr@telebit.com (Paul Rubin) writes:
>In article <1hudqpINNhom@uwm.edu> anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Anthony J Stieber) writes:

>so I decided to count them as technical.  I agree that field data collection
>is one of the few important uses of pocket-sized computers but feel
>that a 95LX is superior to a 48 for this purpose.  Among other things,
>you can program a 95LX in normal languages.

It depends.  There are three different survey data collection software
packages for the 48, none that I know of for the 95.  Special ruggedized
cases are available for the 48 ranging from a ziplock bag to a gas
tight rigid box ready for tripod mounting.  The design of the 95 makes
it more difficult to make special cases for it much less operate inside
a ziplock.

The 95 also runs MS-DOS, which some people don't like at all.  I merely
cope with it.

>I'm still waiting to hear about how many uses there are for the 48
>that fit all these qualifications:
>	- the 48 is better for the purpose than a cheap scientific calculator
   Certainly more powerful, that may or may not be better.
>	- the 48 is better for the purpose than a a 95LX
   Much cheaper, more powerful in some ways than a 95 with Derive.
>	- the 48 is better for the purpose than a full-sized personal computer
   Much cheaper and much more portable.

I've sometimes wished for a 48 in addition to my 95, but I wouldn't use
it enough to be worth it.

>If they carry both units around, they are getting up into the weight,
>size, and cost range of a subnotebook computer.

It depends.  Should someone sell the 48 to afford to buy a
subnotebook?  A subnotebook is non-divisible so it's always going to be
about twice the weight and size of of either a 95 or 48.  Battery life
is very low on some of them, they tend to be fragile.  They all run
MS-DOS.  I don't think there is one best computer for anyone much less
everyone.

>(I know I did), but these figures are not too far off.  However, it's
>absurd to say the 48 has most of the power of Mathematica.  There

I'm not very familiar with either, I'm only saying what others have
said.  I'll keep what you've said in mind.

>Examples of other programs include Derive, Reduce, Mathcad, Theorist,
>Milo, and Macsyma.  

There's also Mercury and Symbmath.  Of those only Derive is fully
functional on a 95 so the choice is between either Derive or a 48, if
someone wants a compact package.  Even when more software gets ported
to the 95, and more powerful/cheaper/smaller palmtops come out, the 48
is still going to be cheaper.

>  Plus, the 48 is a calculator that students have to buy anyway.
>
>Why do students have to buy a 48 anyway?  Or do you mean they anyway
>just have to buy *some* kind of calculator?  Less powerful calculators
>are so much less expensive than a 48 that getting these functions
>when you buy the other stuff in a 48 is an almost insignificant factor.

I meant the latter.
Less powerful pocket computer are so much less expensive than larger
computers that getting these functions when you buy the other stuff in
a larger computer is almost an insignificant factor.
It works both ways.

>You can't really put a 48 in a normal sized pocket (one other reason I
>resisted buying one).  Notebook computers fit in backpacks though they
>are too heavy to want to bring to school every day.  Newer

I actually meant a jacket pocket, although I have seen people stuff a
48 in a pants pocket.  A notebook computer takes up most of the space
in a backpack (I take one to school every day).  If most people won't
bring a notebook to school everyday, then how can a cheap
calc+expensive notebook = expensive calc?  Half the time the notebook
won't be available.

I don't feel that a 48 is the best possible choice of a pocket machine,
but merely that it is one choice from a wide spectrum of machine
choices.  The 48 is a hybrid between calculators and computers and
occupies a price niche between the two ranges.  Some people need that
particular niche filled, others don't.  You advocate a specific ratio
of portable:desktop computer power and say that a particular niche
shouldn't be filled at all.  I'd rather be more flexible.

>expensive.  There is also the 95LX, of course.  (I've resisted buying
>a Zeos because I'm waiting for one with a PCMCIA 2.0 slot that 
>takes Type II expansion cards so I can put in a high speed modem).

A 2400bps data and 9600bps fax modem is shipping now or soon for the
95, a Zeos version will be available at some point.  Other companies
are working on modems for these machines as well.  These are not PCMCIA
2.0 devices, rather that are proprietary devices specifically made to
get around the limitations of PCMCIA 1.0.

You can get more information from this file available via anonymous ftp
csd4.csd.uwm.edu:/pub/Palmtop/pcmcia.sources.
--
<-:(= Anthony Stieber	anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu   uwm!uwmcsd4!anthony
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48