HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: lemson@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (David Lemson)
Subject: Re: Using programmable calcs in exams
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 06:04:08 GMT

I am a third year Computer Engineering student at U of I, and I got
my 48SX during my first year.  I have only had one test where
'programmable calculators' were specifically prohibited.  It was a
thermodynamics test in general chemistry, where memorization of
about 50 formulas was really required.  No crib sheets were allowed.
Most everyone I knew stored engineering physics notes in their
calculators - they were provided on a formula sheet, but the
sadistic profs inevitably changed variables and mixed them up so
that you had no idea what formulas were for what.  Students used the
48SX's directory structure to store the formulas because:
1) You can use those formulas while you do practice tests, hence
getting to know exactly where those formulas were, instead of using
a foreign formula sheet
2) You can classify like-looking formulas by its topic with the
directory names.

I have found in Junior level EE classes, the material is
sufficiently difficult that having a fancy calculator is marginally
beneficial.  We are allowed crib sheets usually, and most
calculations are simple.  Matrix manipulations sometimes make it
easier, but again, it's marginal.

I had one class where calculators were not allowed at all - linear
systems and signals.  When I saw the Laplace Transform program on
the archive sites, I realized why.  :-)

On another note, a math professor I know who markets a math course
taught on Mathematica tells me that the HP people give some schools
a classroom full of HP high-end calculators, in order to teach
engineering and math with them.  They are developing programs like
this.  Sorry, I did not get any school names but I could ask if
anyone is realy interested.

-- 
David Lemson                                                (217) 244-1205
University of Illinois NeXT Campus Consultant / CCSO NeXT Lab System Admin
Internet : lemson@uiuc.edu                UUCP :...!uiucuxc!uiucux1!lemson 
NeXTMail & MIME accepted                           BITNET : LEMSON@UIUCVMD
From: stevev@miser.uoregon.edu (Steve VanDevender)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Subject: Re: transfer
Date: 30 Dec 92 03:04:42 GMT
Article-I.D.: miser.STEVEV.92Dec29190442
Organization: University of Oregon Chemistry Stores
NNTP-Posting-Host: miser.uoregon.edu
In-reply-to: twh18@isuvax.iastate.edu's message of 29 Dec 92 21:34:16 GMT

In article <C01IL5.MMz@news.iastate.edu> twh18@isuvax.iastate.edu
(Phoenix) writes:

	   One more questions.  Are you suppose to uncode it first
   before you even transfer the file from your computer to Hp48?
   The guy who posted Tron II says uncode it on your unix machine
   first and transfer it. I always thought that you transfer the
   coded file, then uncode it with ASC-> in your HP48.
	   All responses will be greatly appciated.
			   Ming.

You should uudecode the file sent by Christophe Nguyen on a
machine that has a uudecode utility.  There is a uudecode program
for the HP 48 as well.

Note that there is a big difference between uuencoded files and
files encoded with ->ASC.  uuencode codes groups of three bytes
into four ASCII characters with codes 32-95 (although often ASCII
96 is used instead of 32 to improve robustness) while ->ASC codes
single bytes into hexadecimal (using the characters 0-9 and A-F).
uudecode will not decode files created with ->ASC, and ASC-> will
not decode files created with uuencode.

	   PS:  Even though the Tron only takes 1.9K, and It says
   "insuffient memory" when I try to put it on my HP48 (which
   I cleard memory up to 30K); it went fine when I put 3 tetris
   (each 9.2K) on there.  That's weirld.

This is probably because you are having problems downloading
Tron; either you are not using the correct method of creating the
binary that you are attempting to download or you have mismatched
Kermit settings between your computer and your HP 48.
--
Steve VanDevender 	stevev@greylady.uoregon.edu
"Bipedalism--an unrecognized disease affecting over 99% of the population.
Symptoms include lack of traffic sense, slow rate of travel, and the
classic, easily recognized behavior known as walking."
From: kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Subject: Re: 3 Re: AAA Lithium batteries with the HP-48SX
Date: 1 Jan 93 00:54:39 GMT
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering

In article <PHR.92Dec31163028@napa.telebit.com> phr@telebit.com (Paul Rubin) writes:
>    They also announced that they're going to mass-market AAAA batteries,
>    which'll be useful.
>
>AAAA cells are already available, just take apart a 9 volt alkaline
>battery.

It'll be useful in the sense that engineers will build devices designed to
accept them for the mass markets.  HP isn't going to design a calculator
that requires you to rip apart 9 volts every time the batteries die... :-)
From: phudl@csv.warwick.ac.uk (Mr S J Liddicott)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Subject: quasar cheats...
Date: 30 Dec 92 14:19:50 GMT
Organization: Computing Services, University of Warwick, UK
NNTP-Posting-Host: lily.csv.warwick.ac.uk

my brother and I set up a 2khz oscillator feeding to an infra-red LED
and if you are playing quasar (The Laser gun game) and you point the LED
to one of you sensors - then NOBODY can "kill" you.
  It feeds infra-red noise to the sensor system, drowing out any valid
"I hit you" signals.
  It also means you can't re-energise, and that your gun will never say 
"well done" to you (important when playing Supercharger) inless you first
turn it off.

ANYWAY
  there is a special "referees gun" which, when shot at a person, can give 
them extra lives, or re-charges them, or kill them etc:
  is there any one who has a friend who works at quazar who could sample
these codes, and publish them - then we can all play quazar, and due
to our amazing "war technology" have a lot of fun.

  The laser, is only used as a sight, the real data is infra red.

... there are only four rules in quazer- 
no running, climbing walls, physical contact, or holding the gun with one hand

???
-- 
*----------*-------------------------------------------------------------*
| Sam   Jam|"Never underestimate the importance of a cheap laugh"-       |
| Liddicott| phudl@csv.warwick.ac.uk  | I WAS IN IDAHO | Plucky Duck TTA |
*-------------------- Disclaimer: I don't work --------------------------*
From: keithk@ocf.berkeley.edu (Keith Kong)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Subject: Where does the "shield" pin go?
Date: 23 Dec 1992 21:16:59 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: sandstorm.berkeley.edu

I'm trying to make my own cable so I consulted the FAQ.  However,
I'm not sure where the "shield" pin goes.  Can someone tell me
where it goes or what the equivalent signal is for "shield" ?
Thanks.

Keith Kong
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
From: klenfest@zeus.UWaterloo.ca (Kurt Lenfesty)
Subject: for sale:  Electrical Engineering Pac for HP48SX
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 22:44:26 GMT


I'm selling my unregistered pack - with manual.  It works great  
but I discovered I don't really need it.  I just got it two weeks  
ago (for final exams).

FOR $75 US plus shipping.

kurt lenfesty
klenfest@zeus.UWaterloo.ca
From: george@ucs.ubc.ca (George Chow)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Subject: Re: AAA Lithium batteries with the HP-48SX
Date: 30 Dec 1992 07:00:05 GMT
Organization: University Computing Services, UBC, Canada
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: swiss.ucs.ubc.ca
Keywords: Lithium, batteries, HP-48SX

In article <C025tK.DI5@news.iastate.edu> sknapp@iastate.edu (Steven M. Knapp) writes:
>In article <1hj1mlINNsf@iskut.ucs.ubc.ca> george@ucs.ubc.ca (George Chow) writes:
>>In article <q5VDwB2w165w@seanews.akita.com> civan@seanews.akita.com (Chuck Dinsmore) writes:
>
>>Unfortunately, lithium batteries aren't available in AAA format, only AA.
>>
>From where can these be had? And what other formats are available?

I saw them locally in a big drugstore in their camera department. The
package seems to imply that it's geared mostly toward camera people so I
think a camera store should stock them.

>________________________________________________________________________ 
>Steven M. Knapp                             Computer Engineering Student
>sknapp@iastate.edu                  President Cyclone Amateur Radio Club
>Iowa State University; Ames, IA; USA      Durham Center Operations Staff

George

Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
From: phr@telebit.com (Paul Rubin)
Subject: Re: The "high price" of the HP48!
Organization: Telebit Corporation; Sunnyvale, CA, USA
	<2b396772.2480.13comp.sys.hp48.1@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com>
Date: 25 Dec 92 16:04:13

    True, but you can't stop an idea whose time has come.  Before you know
    it, programmable calculators will be de rigueur in all curricula, and
    the hot new debate will be whether to allow handheld interactive
    satellite video in the classroom.

I can't understand this.  Programmable calculators a la the HP48 are a
gross kludge, something better than a nonprogrammable calculator
that is useful when a real computer is not available.

Real computers being de rigeur in all curricula, I could understand.
But why would, say, a literature student want an HP48?
From: akcs.joehorn@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com (Joseph K. Horn)
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 06:40:02 GMT
Subject: Re: The "high price" of the HP48!
Message-ID: <2b3fedd6.2480.16comp.sys.hp48.1@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48

phr@telebit.com [Paul Rubin] writes:

> Programmable calculators a la the HP48 are a gross kludge, something
> better than a nonprogrammable calculator that is useful when a real
> computer is not available.

Gross Kludge?  Gesundheit.

> Real computers being de rigeur in all curricula, I could understand.
> But why would, say, a literature student want an HP48?

Today, no reason; tommorow, many reasons.  Look at the trend we're
already seeing.  Originally the HP48 only had plug-in cards for a few
specialized applications.  The number has been steadily growing, as
more fields of knowledge get crammed into ROM.  Who's to say which
subjects cannot benefit from a handheld device that can quickly look
up a ton of data?  Look at the Sharp Wizard; it has a plethora of
plug-ins, including the whole Bible plus powerful lookup software on
one thin card!  That's a lot of literature!  And since students not
only read, but also must do a lot of writing, a plug-in spelling
checker would be useful in *every* academic field.

If you're thinking, "Hey, that's stupid; who's gonna do spell checking
on the HP48's crummy keyboard!?" then consider this: the above-
mentioned application cards available for the Wizard also work fine in
(and are often purchased for) the original ABC-style keyboard Wizards
(the 7000 series).  Their alpha keyboards have exactly the same layout
as the HP48.  Spell checking on an HP48 would be no more difficult
than on an OZ-7000, one of which I own and use all the time because
nobody has written an HP48 Wizard Killer yet.  As soon as someone
does, the HP48 (or its successor) will not only be found in every
classroom, but everywhere, period.

-Joe Horn-
"I Am Iraq" -- Simon & Garfunkel
From: akcs.joehorn@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com (Joseph K. Horn)
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 09:40:04 GMT
Subject: Re: Asc-> and checksum problems
Message-ID: <2b383361.2444.1comp.sys.hp48.1@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Keywords: Checksum and asc

d307@wartburg.auc.dk [Soren Corneliussen] writes:

> Does anyone know how to calculate the checksum, asc-> needs as the
> last charaters in the string??

(1) There's a complete write-up about it, plus programs to do the job,
on Goodies Disks #1 and #2; see "ASC" by Jim Cloos.

(2) It's a moot point if you have Rick Grevelle's HACKIT library.  It
works with ASC-style strings with *or* without a checksum at the end,
and even allows spaces, carriage returns, and comments to be anywhere
in the ASC string.  Finally, as if this weren't enough, it includes a
SCRC function that returns the CRC which ASC-> would require at the
end of any string of hex digits.  HACKIT is available on Goodies Disks
#3 and #5.

-jkh-
From: akcs.joehorn@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com (Joseph K. Horn)
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 06:40:02 GMT
Subject: Re: Experiences with ElekTek, EduCalc, mail order places?
Message-ID: <2b3fee10.2505.1comp.sys.hp48.1@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Keywords: Reputable mail-order places, HP-48SX, shipping

gmarfoe@eng.auburn.edu [Gerald George Marfoe] writes:

> I got the phone numbers for EduCalc, ElekTek and Surveyors Supply
> from the FAQ-HP48 list, but I'd like to know of any experiences that
> you may have had in ordering from these places. I've been hearing
> some bad comments about ElekTek in other newsgroups (e.g., cashing a
> check and not sending the order), so I'd like to know what the place
> with the best service and reputation to order from is.

(1) There's a brochure packed inside every HP48 box that lists
    available accessories.  Notice that EduCALC is featured not only
    in the list of vendors at the end of the brochure, but in the text
    too, with many accessories available only from EduCALC (for
    example, the famous, fabulous HP48 Goodies Disks).  ElekTek is not
    in the brochure. This says to me that HP considers EduCALC a
    reliable enough source of HP48 accessories to mention it "in the
    box".  But not ElecTek.

(2) EduCALC is a calculator store.  All they carry is calculators, and
    calculator-related stuff (and books that math-type people like).
    They started as a tiny company that made big classroom displays
    for HP calculators (they were called "educalcs"), and evolved into
    the world's largest HP calculator dealer.  They have the largest
    selection of HP48 accessories of any dealer anywhere.  Their
    latest catalog has 14 pages of HP48 stuff.  ElekTek, on the other
    hand, specializes in computers, and carries some calculators and
    accessories as an afterthought.  The last ElekTek catalog I saw
    had only two pages of HP48 stuff (it may be different now).

(3) EduCALC has one person hired fulltime for "technical support", a
    guy who knows more about HP calculators than anybody else would
    want to know.  Call EduCALC with any clear question about any
    calculator they sell, even something arcane and weird, and he'll
    help you out.  I called ElekTek once and they transferred me to
    "technical support" but the guy only knew what was printed in the
    catalog.  Big help.

(4) EduCALC has a 30-day money-back guarantee; if you don't like
    something you get from EduCALC, for any reason, you can send it
    back for a full refund.  ElekTek has no such policy.

Service and reputation?  One stands out.  EduCALC.

-Joseph K. Horn-                  | "This is not a pipe"
akcs.joehorn@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com
Disclaimer: I don't work for HP, EduCALC, or anybody else.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
From: mox@vpnet.chi.il.us (William Moxley)
Subject: Re: Well? Where's the cool stuff from FRANCE?
Organization: Vpnet Public Access
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 02:29:06 GMT

ochealth@unixg.ubc.ca (ochealth) writes:
>
>Well? where is all the loot? We were promised some cool games and things...
>I don't see anything new.

Didn't you see Tron?  It's great if you have someone to play it with!

		William Moxley
		mox@vpnet.chi.il.us

Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
From: ramos@engr.LaTech.edu (Alex Ramos)
Subject: An RPL 'pretty print'er ?
Organization: Louisiana Tech University
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 02:53:40 GMT

Is there any program to 'pretty print' RPL programs?

(That is, a program that neatly formats source code to improve
legibility, quite commonly used on C code).


--

/* ramos@engr.Latech.edu                     
                                            
                Fala-se Portugues, tche!     
		English spoken here.
*/ 

Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
From: phr@telebit.com (Paul Rubin)
Subject: Re: VCR Plus codes...
Organization: Telebit Corporation; Sunnyvale, CA, USA
Date: 25 Dec 92 16:07:36

This comes up periodically in sci.crypt.  Someone did a lot of work
and figured out most of the code; the results were published in
Cryptologia magazine earlier this year.  Reference: Shirriff K, Welch C,
Kinsman A, "Decoding a VCR Controller Code," Cryptologia, 16 (#3, July
1992), 227-234.  See the sci.crypt FAQ for more information.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
From: deklee@uncc.edu (Dennis K Lee)
Subject: Re: Using programmable calcs in exams
Reply-To: deklee@uncc.edu
Organization: University of NC at Charlotte
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 04:58:29 GMT


Look it is a disadvantage to the students who do not own super calcs, when
taking some tests...When crib sheets are not allowed and calculators are, there
is a problem...
I own a hp48sx and still greatly favor no-calculator tests because I will do much
better than those with super calculators because I spend more time on the material.

I remember a 4x4 matrix I had to crank out in my first ciruits class...and I do
admit I was able to solve that problem much quicker due to my calc...mostly because
I did not have to check my answer by hand...(back in those Cramer's Rule days...)

Remember cheating only hurts the cheaters...If you have learned the material,
whether it be from programing or what, you should do well. Cheaters are the ones
who do not know the material and use the calc to get by...A super calc. really
does not help that much in upper courses anyway...


Dennis K. Lee
deklee@mosaic.uncc.edu


From: akcs.levenson@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com (william j. levenson)
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 00:40:02 GMT
Subject: Re: Fine Manual
Message-ID: <2b365c94.2435.1comp.sys.hp48.1@hpcvbbs.cv.hp.com>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48

Yes, Joe!  The Fine Manual refered to in variaous places in comp.sys.hp48
is the 2 volume manual that came with the calculator.  Or it would be the
newer, one volume manual that comes with the moire recently produced
calulators.

Bill Levenson

Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
From: sknapp@iastate.edu (Steven M. Knapp)
Subject: Re: Experiences with ElekTek, EduCalc, mail order places?
Keywords: Reputable mail-order places, HP-48SX, shipping
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 18:39:07 GMT

I have shopped at an ElekTek store as well as mail ordered things from them.

While nothing was REALLY horrible about their service, nothing was great.
Their prices used to not be able to be beat. Not so anymore. They have no
return policy. And if you walk in there are few sales staff willing to help,
unless you are spending alot of money. For example, I had all the help I
wanted when I bought my laptop/printer, but later that week I went to get some
suplies and assistance was nowhere to be found.

Phone support was not too bad, but also not too great. If you try you can get
a knowlageable person. But there are plenty of dim-wits that you have to get
past.

My only bad story about EduCalc is that a friend bought a card for her 48SX,
based on its description in the catalog. She got it, and it had no
instructions beyond installing it. Every time she would call to return it, she
would be transferred to a phone where noone answered, and if she told the
receptionist this, she would end up in the same place, leaving a message on
Audix never to be returned. Finally someone did call, and all got worked out,
about 2 weeks later.

Otherwise EduCalc has always been friendly and helpful to me. I would feel
comfortable shopping there.
________________________________________________________________________ 
Steven M. Knapp                             Computer Engineering Student
sknapp@iastate.edu                  President Cyclone Amateur Radio Club
Iowa State University; Ames, IA; USA      Durham Center Operations Staff
From: jorchard@dciem.dciem.dnd.ca (Jeff Orchard)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Subject: Re: Using programmable calcs in exams
Date: 21 Dec 92 13:24:42 GMT
Organization: Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine

I don't see why some people think they are being "punished" when they are
told that they can't use their programable calculators during exams.
Shouldn't that just put everyone on the SAME grounds?  It is not a
disadvantage to not be allowed to use high-powered calculators... but it
is an advantage to be allowed to use them.

The Math faculty at University of Waterloo has figured it out now.  The
only exams that I don't use my calculator in is in my math exams!  :-)

Jeff Orchard
jorchard@dretor.dciem.dnd.ca
jjorchard@descartes.uwaterloo.ca
From: keithk@ocf.berkeley.edu (Keith Kong)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
Subject: running boulder-dash
Date: 4 Jan 1993 00:03:55 GMT
Organization: U.C. Berkeley Open Computing Facility
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: sandstorm.berkeley.edu

Is there a way to run boulderdash and other libs with avaialbe
memory under twice the library length?   Better yet, is there
a program somewhere which converts libs into executables,
avoiding the need to install libraries?

Keith Kong
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
From: phr@telebit.com (Paul Rubin)
Subject: Re: The "high price" of the HP48!
Organization: Telebit Corporation; Sunnyvale, CA, USA
	<PHR.92Dec31125342@napa.telebit.com> <1i28i0INNsqe@uwm.edu>
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 06:20:32 GMT

In article <1i28i0INNsqe@uwm.edu> anthony@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Anthony J Stieber) writes:

   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.

From what I understand, that modem (New Media) needs some weird
proprietary software driver instead of looking like a serial port.
They are secretive about how to program it which means you are
screwed if you want to flush DOS.  Also, I believe it needs an
external phone connector.  If I'm going to spend a bundle on a
card modem, I want it to have v32bis and a built in phone jack.
As far as I know, these are only available in type II cards.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48
From: kolstad@cae.wisc.edu (Joel Kolstad)
Subject: Re: The "high price" of the HP48!
Organization: U of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering
Distribution: usa
Date: 26 Dec 92 05:29:35 CST

In article <PHR.92Dec25155736@napa.telebit.com> phr@telebit.com (Paul Rubin) writes:
>    I agree.  I do not understand those who buy the Casios and the TIs because
>    the 48 is just "too expensive".
>
>I felt that paying my rent was more important than having a fancy
>calculator.  

Paying tuition for a four year public college is going to run you at least
$10,000.  Four year tuition at, say, MIT can easily run you $75,000.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp48