Recommendations for simple windows calculator replacement. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 01:06:45 am
content: The windows calculator has just gotten so much worse in the last 5 years.Does anyone have any recommendations for a good general purpose windows programmers calculator app.I'm not looking for something super advanced, i have my proper HP for that, just something simple for doing quick calcs while doing embedded programming.The main thing that gets on my nerves in win10 calc is not being able to do floating point stuff when in the programmer mode.I get why they did it but it's just annoying, the XP calc didn't have that issue.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 01:08:01 am
content: SpeedCrunch.

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 04:53:02 am
content: Quote from: Psi on August 18, 2020, 01:06:45 amWhy change? You can use XP calculator on Windows 10!https://computerforumz.wordpress.com/2018/10/09/running-classic-ms-calculator-on-windows-10/

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 08:24:49 am
content: Quote from: eti on August 18, 2020, 04:53:02 amI didn't like the XP version. In my opinion, the high point was Windows 7 calculator, which enabled you to go back an edit the expression and is not the case with Windows 10. It also takes much longer to start and occupies too much screen space.

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 09:59:26 am
content: SpeedCrunchOnce you get used to it you never use the Win XP calc.exe anymore. Its a simple, no bullshit calculator that is re-imagined for use on a PC rather than emulating a pocket calculator like calc.exe does. Instead of a clumsy on screen keypad you just use your keyboard type out whatever you want into a text window and it calculates live as you type. Sorry no RPN, but there is little reason to keep using it these days. Way easier to have the whole calculation typed out in text, especially when you want to play with the values a bit since you can just move the cursor back and change any number easily and quickly.It can also use binary or hex numbers, or even a mix of them.

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 02:50:40 pm
content: Quote from: Zero999 on August 18, 2020, 08:24:49 amOkay, so in that case, here's how to use the Windows 7 version on Windows 10, and save yourself the time learning a new one:https://winaero.com/blog/get-calculator-from-windows-8-and-windows-7-in-windows-10/

author: eti
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 02:55:48 pm
content: Quote from: Berni on August 18, 2020, 09:59:26 amIf he's anything like me, when you have a simple, well designed and functional tool that you're used to, and which does the job well, there's little need to get a "better" one. Unless the old tool absolutely couldn't be replaced with the same one, there's no sense to it.

author: DmitryL
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 02:59:42 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on August 18, 2020, 01:06:45 amI am really happy with this one:http://www.zoesoft.com/

author: HwAoRrDk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 03:21:23 pm
content: I find programmer mode on the Windows 7 calculator fairly good - Windows 10 is a bit of a downgrade. But there are two things I really, really wish it had: support for working with unsigned integers, and working in big- or little-endian.

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2020, 04:28:24 pm
content: +1 for using the Win7 calculator on Win10The IT department at work did this to all the machines in the office, there were so many complaints...

author: duckduck
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2020, 12:31:07 am
content: Quote from: Berni on August 18, 2020, 09:59:26 amWould you look at that! It's GPL'ed AND it's available for Windows and Linux. Which means that it will be available for free, forever and run on whatever OS I choose (or am forced to use by work). Thanks!

author: b_force
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2020, 01:10:49 am
content: Quote from: NiHaoMike on August 18, 2020, 01:08:01 amThis, unless you have to do algebra and things, also available for Linux and Macedit:I guess some people just never had to use a graphical calculator in their live (TI83 and alike).So much more efficient than traditional calculator (sorry fanboys)

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2020, 01:10:21 pm
content: I installed SpeedCrunchIt's a different style that i'll need to get used to, but definitely seems well written and intuitive.I figured lots of things out without having to read anything about it.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2020, 09:29:46 am
content: SpeedCrunch or not, there is something annoying using PC keyboard and a mouse to do calculations.Better than all of this, if you have a telephone with an Android operating system, is RealCalc. I use it often and never need to use a PC calculator other than Excel. RealCalc has all the features you'd need and is so easy to use. It supports RPN as an option for the HP fanboys as well.

author: Refrigerator
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2020, 11:41:31 am
content: I had gotten so used to my TI-82 that using any "lesser" calculator was a chore, but this SpeedCrunch thingy seems nice.Previously whenever i tried using the windows calc or anything online i'd quickly get annoyed by it and would go grab my TI-82.

author: SilverSolder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2020, 01:11:58 pm
content: For a quick and dirty solution (for graphing a function), I have this Javascript calculator bookmarked in my browser:https://www.mathway.com/graph

author: iteratee
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2020, 01:42:04 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on August 22, 2020, 09:29:46 amI've always wanted a touchscreen peripheral device for this kind of thing. Programs like kdeconnect help but are crippled by virtue of the crippled underlying android system.I eventually built a touchscreen/SBC/phone hybrid as soon as I found a suitably powerful one. But to avoid android I write custom software or deal with clunky interfaces. Acceptable tradeoff to me.

author: b_force
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2020, 07:17:10 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on August 22, 2020, 09:29:46 amOn my phone I use NCalc+, which is totally free and even being able to do more difficult stuff as well as unit conversions etc

author: iteratee
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2020, 09:15:34 pm
content: Quote from: duckduck on August 19, 2020, 12:31:07 amYes free forever! 75 years after all the authors die that is. Each dead programmer brings our grandchildren closer to freedom!

author: Sredni
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 22, 2020, 10:37:51 pm
content: On the smartphone (Android) I found Hyper Scientific Calculator and it's like having my sharp calculator again.It nags from time to time with the upgrade to pro version message, but nothing obtrusive.EDIT: I just installed SpeedCrunch and I love it.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2020, 12:58:09 am
content: On a PC I have OpalCalc floating around. It is similar to SpeedCrunch but a quick comparison suggests OpalCalc is a little better. For instance:100 miles in km- 160.9344km in OpalCalc, not calculable in SpeedCrunch (doesn't do km)£100 in $- $131.57 in OpalCalc, invalid expression in SpeedCrunchBut I like the SpeedCrunch bit display, so swings and roundabouts...OpalCalc webby

author: newbrain
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2020, 06:38:13 am
content: Quote from: iteratee on August 22, 2020, 09:15:34 pmWhat are you on about?If you are conflating copyright with licensing, remember that copyright is the foundation for all licenses.It is copyright that allows authors to give their software a free license or even to renounce their rights if they so want.

author: iteratee
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2020, 10:18:22 am
content: Quote from: newbrain on August 23, 2020, 06:38:13 amThat was meant as an obviousish trolling remark but no it doesn't conflate. Copyright gives authors the right to control the distribution of their works. A license allows the author to specify constraints or permissions on the ways works may be distributed. An author only needs to do that because copyright grants all rights to the author by default. Others have no rights unless they are given. (Grossly simplified overview, of course.) No need for debate, I know this subject.QuoteThis depends on juristiction, but in at least the U.S. and many others, absolutely not. You cannot renounce your rights and producing even a roughly equivalent effect by way of license can be difficult. Ask in p.m. if questions. Appologies for thread derailment.

author: iteratee
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2020, 11:01:39 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on August 23, 2020, 10:21:45 amYes, CC0 in particular is specifically intended to deal with this and they have some good writeups on how that works. Its purpose is to deal with the fact that there is no "public domain". "public domain", at least in the U.S. refers almost exclusively to expired copyrights. There is no other typical way for a work to enter public domain. (Yes the forum rules here misstate this several times, unless Austrailia differs, in which case that notion of public domain is not the norm).WTFPL is an example of a highly "permissive" license. Its intended function is for software and for a trivially permissive license there choose MIT, ISC, or similar instead. If trying to grant maximum rights in the most irrevocable manner possible, for non-software, CC0 is a good choice.

author: newbrain
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2020, 12:53:25 pm
content: Quote from: iteratee on August 23, 2020, 11:01:39 amAh, I really got the wrong impression from your first trollish (your words) comment, and fell for it hook,line and sinkerI've got a bit of a hair trigger for this stuff: as part of my job, I struggled to clear the misinformation and misunderstanding on how FOSS licenses works so many times...more often than not, from paladin and evangelist of FOSS - which is a bit sad.About the rights: they cannot be "annihilated", by an author can transfer them to another entity.But you probably know this very well.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2020, 03:03:12 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on August 18, 2020, 01:06:45 amI keep a cheap Casio FX0260 on hand for this reason. And even cheaper knockoff at work (don't want the tiny Casio to be nicked). I found it easier and faster to reach for the calculator and punch in a few numbers than to wait for the Windows (or whatever) calculator to start and deal with its UI idiosyncrasies. The same for having a calculator on a phone - RealCalc is good (I have it too), but by the time I unlock the phone and find/start the calculator app I have the result on the physical device already.For more fancy stuff like working in binary or hex or doing more sophisticated stuff I just open Python shell and do it there - far more powerful than any calculator app. Even though SpeedCrunch is good.

author: b_force
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2020, 03:41:20 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on August 23, 2020, 03:03:12 pmYou know that you can run apps from your lock screen

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2020, 04:06:41 pm
content: Quote from: b_force on August 23, 2020, 03:41:20 pmSure, and? I guess you haven't had an do something stupid while your phone was in your pocket yet, have you? I prefer to have the screen to be locked when it is locked, not to have random junk there that could accidentally start itself.

author: b_force
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2020, 04:14:37 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on August 23, 2020, 04:06:41 pmSorry, I was just trying to be helpful........It's just a calculator......