So, I apologize for the recurring topic. I hope to have chosen a proper subforum. I did a research for the last year on this site, but I got only this thread, that's not bad but I have a bit different focus.
I would like to have a calculator with a similar math library of the hp 50g (through built in functions or 3rd party functions it does not matter), library that they I will likely use in programs. For whom does not have a hp 50g, I do suppose that its default math library is similar if not bigger than the ti89 or ti84.
Anyway a big limit could be the RAM, since already with the hp 50g one has to be a bit creative sometimes (and there exists interesting solutions with the internal storage that should be tested).
Of course I can use a computer or a smartphone for some computations, but while programming languages for the computer often are easier for developing, if I start to need specific libraries, the situation changes unless I use math environments like mathematica, matlab, scilab and co.
The math library of a calculator, plus 3rd party libraries, plus the interface that is very suitable to insert numbers and functions, all this makes a calculator just great. Moreover I don't have many systems that I can dedicate to one intensive task without being interrupted, so a calculator can do it, and silently. Last but not least, I love to use calculators, and that's is already enough for a motivation.
So looking around, mostly on some wikipedia pages, I found out the following.
- programmable calculators with 4Mb or more of RAM, plus at least 16 MB of storage (internal or through sd cards)
HP: Hp prime (32 mb ram, 256 mb storage)
TI: nspire (16 mb ram, 20 mb storage), nspire CX (64 mb ram, 100 mb storage)
Casio:
Aside from the ram/storage requirement, other requirements are more or less obvious.
- having a good math library, at least like the one built in in the 50g, even better with 3rd party libraries (therefore an active and passionate community is needed).
- executing programs natively (the hp50g with his userRPL emulation is ok, but sometimes it takes too much workarounds to get one first working solution that does not take ages)
- having an expressive enough programming language (at least one) that is not arbitrarily limited, like it would be a bit of a pity to have Mbytes of ram available, and then arrays capped to a length of, say, 1024.
- having good tools for development (like being able to develop with a computer with notepad++ and then load on the calculator)
- having a native version - not an emulator - of the OS as application for windows PC or android, so one could reuse the programs without a layer of emulation that slows down everything.
- having a good keyboard for typing numbers, common functions and also letters.
- having good software menus or otherwise one is doomed to type long commands manually on the calculator.
- having a good documentation, even better when expanded by the community.
I did not extensively searched for possible problems and limitations of the Prime or of the nspire series. I read a bit there and there, but it seems that I get basic information. So I ask the ones that likely have at least one of those machines, what you would recommend and why?
On ebay.de I see a lot of used (and we know how much used are the calculators, that is, a little) nspire (no CX) for 50 euro, and 50g for 90 euro. So if the ti nspire are ok, i may consider taking one immediately. I did check the differences between nspire CX and nspire, but it mostly seems the last OS updates.
Thanks for the answers.
PS: If my message is not clear, I apologize, please notify me so I can clarify.
I would like to have a calculator with a similar math library of the hp 50g (through built in functions or 3rd party functions it does not matter), library that they I will likely use in programs. For whom does not have a hp 50g, I do suppose that its default math library is similar if not bigger than the ti89 or ti84.
Anyway a big limit could be the RAM, since already with the hp 50g one has to be a bit creative sometimes (and there exists interesting solutions with the internal storage that should be tested).
Of course I can use a computer or a smartphone for some computations, but while programming languages for the computer often are easier for developing, if I start to need specific libraries, the situation changes unless I use math environments like mathematica, matlab, scilab and co.
The math library of a calculator, plus 3rd party libraries, plus the interface that is very suitable to insert numbers and functions, all this makes a calculator just great. Moreover I don't have many systems that I can dedicate to one intensive task without being interrupted, so a calculator can do it, and silently. Last but not least, I love to use calculators, and that's is already enough for a motivation.
So looking around, mostly on some wikipedia pages, I found out the following.
- programmable calculators with 4Mb or more of RAM, plus at least 16 MB of storage (internal or through sd cards)
HP: Hp prime (32 mb ram, 256 mb storage)
TI: nspire (16 mb ram, 20 mb storage), nspire CX (64 mb ram, 100 mb storage)
Casio:
Aside from the ram/storage requirement, other requirements are more or less obvious.
- having a good math library, at least like the one built in in the 50g, even better with 3rd party libraries (therefore an active and passionate community is needed).
- executing programs natively (the hp50g with his userRPL emulation is ok, but sometimes it takes too much workarounds to get one first working solution that does not take ages)
- having an expressive enough programming language (at least one) that is not arbitrarily limited, like it would be a bit of a pity to have Mbytes of ram available, and then arrays capped to a length of, say, 1024.
- having good tools for development (like being able to develop with a computer with notepad++ and then load on the calculator)
- having a native version - not an emulator - of the OS as application for windows PC or android, so one could reuse the programs without a layer of emulation that slows down everything.
- having a good keyboard for typing numbers, common functions and also letters.
- having good software menus or otherwise one is doomed to type long commands manually on the calculator.
- having a good documentation, even better when expanded by the community.
I did not extensively searched for possible problems and limitations of the Prime or of the nspire series. I read a bit there and there, but it seems that I get basic information. So I ask the ones that likely have at least one of those machines, what you would recommend and why?
On ebay.de I see a lot of used (and we know how much used are the calculators, that is, a little) nspire (no CX) for 50 euro, and 50g for 90 euro. So if the ti nspire are ok, i may consider taking one immediately. I did check the differences between nspire CX and nspire, but it mostly seems the last OS updates.
Thanks for the answers.
PS: If my message is not clear, I apologize, please notify me so I can clarify.
