So apparently HP has some new calculators...but why can't I buy them?

[IanB]

You can still buy non-VPAM calculators that work the old way; in fact I have previously gone out of my way to find them. Conveniently, you may find them cheaply in places like Tesco.

[FenderBender]

I don't know exactly why some people here seems to get down on anything non-RPN. RPN can take big nasty complex calculations and make them pretty simple, sure! But algebraic input calculators are still very useful. It's nice to see the entire equation or expression there before you hit the equals sign. I don't think they are as horrid as some people make them out to be.

Maybe I'll get myself an RPN calculator for my birthday.

[IanB]

The last few posts are not so much about RPN (I've never so much used HP calculators myself), but about the traditional style of algebraic calculators before they introduced all this fancy VPAM stuff.

Now as alm says, it is really convenient to have a text entry line where you can enter and edit expressions before evaluating them and then recall previous entries. Calculators that do that well are really nice, but many of the simpler models have some half-baked compromise and they are just frustrating.

[FenderBender]

So VPAM is half-baked? (I'm not defending it or bashing it. I really have never used it seriously enough to know).

[tom66]

It works fine for my basic needs, but I'm only a student and don't do much "real" calculations -- mostly theory for now. For more fancy stuff I use the TI-83.

[IanB]

So VPAM is half-baked?

The concept is fine of itself, but when they try to squeeze formula entry into cheap calculators with limited display capability then the outcome of that is half baked. If instead you have a calculator with a dot matrix display and multi-line entry and recall then it's a different story and formula entry is convenient.

[JoannaK]

Still having my old HP-48SX (version A roms, so real old) and I have been thingkin on purchasing the upgrade (like 50-something)  if ever found those around here. I have no idea what/how they are expected to sell those thingies, but finding their cals has been nearly impossible for decades.

[EEVblog]

So VPAM is half-baked? (I'm not defending it or bashing it. I really have never used it seriously enough to know).

VPAM is great if you have to calculate an expression exactly as you see it on paper, because that's what it's designed to do, and is really more suited to a large display with edit etc.
So if you have 20*Log(1/2) you actually type is as you see it, with the Log key coming first.
But I find that's a PITA for everyday calculations.
For example, if you wanted to just calculate 1/2 and then decided to take the log of that after the fact, then you have to press an extra key (=). Because VPAM expects the operand to follow the operator.

So it's extra key presses for simple stuff.
e.g.
Log 2 is now 3 key presses: Log 2 =
instead of just two key presses: 2 Log

So I find the older non-VPAM system more intuitive when you aren't working with a paper equation.
It's just more intuitive to have single operand operators like Log, Sin, SQRT etc work instantly on the current number.

I know why they did it, it was for the students, so the calculator with just like you see the equation on paper. Hence the acronym "Visually Perfect Algebraic Model".

Dave.

[rr100]

I think "VPAM" will become more and more widespread as people us it rather often to just get results from Google.
For me using the "old/simple" calculators for anything that I can't follow/verify easily in my head is getting more and more frustrating. Even if I do something rather simple like a+b/c if I can't verify the plausibility of the result in my head I start "oh, did I press "="? Maybe twice?! What is this result again? Let me type it from start just in case".
Of course as mentioned VPAM works best when you have the adequate hardware/display with enough space for a largish "command line" and stack/history.

[robrenz]

Even if I do something rather simple like a+b/c if I can't verify the plausibility of the result in my head I start "oh, did I press "="? Maybe twice?! What is this result again? Let me type it from start just in case".

That is why many people love RPN. 

[ee851]

Thanks for the info. on VPAM.
DId HP stop making RPN-based scientific calculators?

[FenderBender]

Thanks for the info. on VPAM.
DId HP stop making RPN-based scientific calculators?

No: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_35s

I mean they don't make them quite like they used to but that ones pretty recent.