The Calculator Minimalist Programming Club

The Calculator Minimalist Programming Club

When you are in the mood to program only the quickest calculations and you don’t need all the bells and whistles, check out these vintage and modern calculators from minimalist programming club. In attempt to minimize the amount of words said, we’re just going to start.

Top: Radio Shack EC-4004, Casio fx-3600g, Casio fx-3650p; Bottom:  Radio Shack EC-4036, Texas Instruments TI-55 III, Active RPN app on my iPod Touch

A screen shot of the Active RPN app

Top Row:

Calculator	Radio Shack EC-4004	Casio fx-6300g	Casio fx-3650p
Type	Programmable	Graphing	Solar Programmable
Year Originated (approximate)	1981	1991	2013
Forensic Value	9.00015718	9.00015685	8.999998637
Batteries	LR 1130	2 CR 2032	1 LR 44 (backup)/Solar
Number of Storage Bytes	38	400	360
Number of Programming Spaces	2	10	4
Notes	Has six memory registers (Kin/Kout) Linear Regression Simple Loops (go back to step 1 if test fails) RTN ends programs “Blind” programming	26 Registers (A-Z) Memory can be fragmented Linear Regression Can graph functions (y(x)) Base operations (BIN, DEC, OCT, HEX) Loops: Isz, Dsz, Goto, Lbl, Jump Fractions	7 Variables (A, B, C, D, X, Y, M) 6 Regressions (Linear, Logarithmic, Exponential, Power, Inverse, Quadratic) Base operations (BIN, DEC, OCT, HEX) Loops: Isz, Dsz, Goto, Lbl, Jump Fractions, Integrals, Derivatives, Separate Complex Mode (arithmetic, arg, abs, conjugate only)

Bottom Row:

Calculator	Radio Shack EC-4036 (also Citizen SRP-45)	Texas Instruments TI-55 III	Active RPN iOS App
Type	Programming	Programming	Programming
Year Originated (approximate)	1991 (Citizen)	1986	2010
Forensic Value	9.00001562	9.1146406	9.000417
Batteries	2 RS 357A	2 A76	N/A
Number of Storage Bytes	40	56*  Partitioned with memory registers	80
Number of Programming Spaces	1	1	4
Notes	“Blind” programming Integer function - not (see below) (program only) Halt (Pause, R/S)	“Blind” programming but back and forward step are available Integer, Fraction, Sign, Absolute value functions Linear Regression Combinations/Permutations require a n.rrr format Integration (must have 3 memory registers, max of 40 programming steps)	Programs can be edited via text codes (key numbers) Music/beeps can be turned on No statistics Entire four-level stack is shown at once

On the EC-4036, it turns out that  [ x ] is NOT the integer function.  [ x ] acts like a input prompt.  Programming with [ x ] gives a prompt [ n ].    Also, [HALT] just halts the calculator to show what is on the display.  Source:  Citizen SR145N manual, which is very similar to the EC-4036.  

Forensic Value =  asin( acos( atan( tan( cos( sin( 9°))) )))

This test is common.

“Blind” programming:  You don’t see an indicator that your step has been accepted.  In the case of the EC-4004 and EC-4036, there is no editing. 

Thanks to Jose Mesquita from the MoHPC Calculator forum for posting on the Citizen SRP-45, an equivalent of the Radio Shack EC-4036.  Link: http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-6200-post-66474.html#pid66474

There are the first (and only?) inductees to the Calculator Minimalist Programming Club. 

Have a great day, and may your troubles be minimized,

Eddie

This blog is property of Edward Shore, 2017.