Post B2nSN7AsU0Bk2UDfPM by AMS@infosec.exchange
(DIR) More posts by AMS@infosec.exchange
(DIR) Post #B2mV5ExitX65gVH6tk by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-01-29T15:31:35Z
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I really thought “reverse Polish notation” was like saying “it’s backwards and in Greek” LAMOI just assumed dad’s old calculator was a little possessed. That “enter” repeated the operation again explains a lot. (I mowed a lot of lawns to get away from that backward calculator—)
(DIR) Post #B2mVPdUNPmGPXoH2HY by RogerBW@discordian.social
2026-01-29T15:35:16Z
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@futurebird Reverse Polish is best notation! No ambiguity! No parentheses! The world shall learn to program in PostScript!
(DIR) Post #B2mVQwI6zha89E9suW by burnitdown@beige.party
2026-01-29T15:35:28Z
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@futurebird every time i see "RPN", i think "registered practical nurse".
(DIR) Post #B2mWlnlTzQOJjuPNNw by paulc@mstdn.social
2026-01-29T15:50:28Z
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@futurebird In high school the math and engineering nerds loved the reverse Polish notation of their HP calculators. I never got into it nor understood the appeal.
(DIR) Post #B2mWvTlvB5Fed1ECMy by oantolin@mathstodon.xyz
2026-01-29T15:52:13Z
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@futurebird It's only called Polish because people can't spell or pronounce Łukasiewicz.
(DIR) Post #B2mYGfEFsN7CCH990K by th@social.v.st
2026-01-29T16:07:14Z
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@futurebird i love RPN and glad I never had to use a Hungarian Notation calculator.
(DIR) Post #B2mZMG0KfnCHejrhey by lxskllr@mastodon.world
2026-01-29T16:19:28Z
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@futurebird Using a regular calc makes me want to ragequit. I use an HP48 daily at work, and have two different HP emulators on my phone. I also have rpn calculators on debian, but I forget what it's called. Galculator?
(DIR) Post #B2magnx6GVdagniOB6 by JamesWidman@mastodon.social
2026-01-29T16:34:24Z
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@futurebird it's not great for ergonomics, but it's such a useful & simple model if you're implementing an interpreter
(DIR) Post #B2mcnN0X2jI33cZvtY by mlevison@agilealliance.social
2026-01-29T16:57:58Z
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@futurebird I hear you. You would have loved Display Postscript: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_PostScriptI had build a report writing app that used it. I’m still recovering.
(DIR) Post #B2nAni0CNlmGc2kuwa by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-01-29T23:18:57Z
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@smh What is it with dads and RPN. My mom was a math prof and she didn't want to bother with it anymore. She would write letters to all the calculator companies asking for "samples" and got casio to send her this one:So sleek and classy like a powder compact. She'd never let me touch it and I'm still mad about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFvXRnBEV0w
(DIR) Post #B2nBhkSKRkT8RIdR6O by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-01-29T23:29:10Z
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@matildalove It makes me feel like I'm in a depeche mode video
(DIR) Post #B2nCGDZIiIoWZlKg9w by sleet01@fosstodon.org
2026-01-29T23:35:22Z
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@futurebird @smh RPN, specifically Hewlett Packard RPN calculators, were one step from programming.The stack is magical in that it lets you separate the list of operations and the data upon which to operate into two sets; it's like algebra is built right into it.I'm biased because my dad was a surveyor so I've only ever had HP RPN calcs, but the power and simplicity built into RPN has never been topped, to my mind.I've had an HP-48GX emulator on every phone since, oh, 2008.
(DIR) Post #B2nEPRnlMcKVEZcrTc by dpiponi@mathstodon.xyz
2026-01-29T23:59:26Z
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@futurebird @smh So impressed I tried to get one on ebay but there isn't a single one, just the manuals.
(DIR) Post #B2nLIrp6utFBai47hQ by andrewhinton@jawns.club
2026-01-30T01:16:41Z
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@futurebird @smh This made me just now remember I had a digital watch in high school (80s) that I could program a formula into — I think it was an honors geography class I used it for some problem where I could just type in the variables? Now I can’t remember what brand or model that was. It seems bizarre now.
(DIR) Post #B2nRs19onvl0Ostb5E by AMS@infosec.exchange
2026-01-30T02:30:18Z
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@futurebird @smh I was on TI graphing calculators through MS, HS and undergrad, then back to HP. My dad had a HP-41, and now I've got a HP-41 (my grandfather's), a 48GX, and a DM-42. Nice buttons you can use without looking is a big thing going for them. In my experience, the RPN stuff is nice for doing calculations live, and being able to insert parts of it while you're thinking of it.The programmability of the HPs is amazing as well.
(DIR) Post #B2nSBdFBQKZg1el3Gi by futurebird@sauropods.win
2026-01-30T02:33:52Z
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@AMS @smh Who will write the moving novel called "my grandfather's graphing calculator"
(DIR) Post #B2nSN7AsU0Bk2UDfPM by AMS@infosec.exchange
2026-01-30T02:35:55Z
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@futurebird @smh Uffda, not me. Probably some kid soon though. While technically the HP-41 can graph, I don't have the printer or HP-IL/HP-IB adapter things to make that work.
(DIR) Post #B2nSpiL7tes7PheO2K by dirtwizard666@cyberpunk.lol
2026-01-30T02:41:03Z
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@futurebird @AMS @smh I thought I was the only one who inherited a hp 48gx from a grandfather. Apparently not! My grandfather designed gears at Chrysler a very long time ago...
(DIR) Post #B2nwbQedqnA98OsnsO by lufthans@mastodon.social
2026-01-30T08:14:38Z
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@futurebird @smh I learned about RPN from a girlfriend who loved itShe went on to be a civil engineer, so it seems to have worked out for her :)I didn't like it and only used RPN when I later needed to write some RPN functions for homework assignments
(DIR) Post #B2q9BjgQAQCALGiKHI by peterrenshaw@ioc.exchange
2026-01-31T09:45:02Z
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@futurebird User of HP calcs since the 80s, not everyones cup of tea. #RPN: Removal of parenthesis during calculations. Having operators before and after operands to calculate arbitrary expressions translates to speed and clarity of input. #LIFO / #stack / #geoinformatics <https://www.hpmuseum.org/rpn.htm>
(DIR) Post #B2q9lNI2txqBJeJ46q by peterrenshaw@ioc.exchange
2026-01-31T09:51:32Z
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@futurebird User of HP calcs since the 80s, not everyones cup of tea. #RPN: Removal of parenthesis during calculations. Having operators before and after operands to calculate arbitrary expressions translates to speed and clarity of input. #LIFO / #stack / #geoinformatics <https://www.hpmuseum.org/rpn.htm>
(DIR) Post #B2rNYWl5ynMnQxcdzU by peterrenshaw@ioc.exchange
2026-01-31T23:59:56Z
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@futurebird @NM8A yeah the HP-41C (CV& CX are later models) is Turing complete with its keystroke programming (remembers), indirect addressing (GOTO), loops, conditional and unconditional branching. Yeah I’m in for that. HP Calculators gave you that small reliable, portable computer with low power consumption in the 6502 8 bit era. (Wonder how the interface worked, RS-232!) The SONY Walkman of Calculators making a revival. 😂☺️