The HP-41C is the first Hewlett-Packard handheld calculator offering an exciting array of alphanumeric capabilities. In fact, because of the advanced capabilities of the HP-41C, it can even be called a personal computing system. "The HP-41C represents a totally new concept in the design of Hewlett-Packard calculators. The HP-41C had more memory (now non-volatile) than its predecessor, more functions, improved programming, and could be expanded with both RAM and ROM modules. Of course, HP didn't just improve the human interface.
If it was the wrong key, the user could continue to hold it until the display showed "NULL" when meant the function was canceled. In addition, whenever a key was held down, its function name was displayed. To make it easy to remember keyboard assignments, HP provided keyboard overlays along with preprinted labels for all built-in functions and blank labels for user functions. (With the gold shift key, this allowed two user functions per key.) The user toggle state remained set even when the calculator was turned off allowing true keyboard customization. Once the keyboard was placed in user mode, any assignments made by the user overrode the label on the key. The user could assign any built-in function or user program to any key. (About half of the HP-41Cs functions were preassigned to keys.)īecause typing out the name of a function could be cumbersome, the HP-41C added another toggle key called "user". (The alpha characters were printed on the slanted faces of the keys.) If the user needed a function not printed on a key, the name of the function could be typed in and executed. The keyboard had an "Alpha" key that toggled the keyboard between alpha and the normal calculator mode. The HP-41C overcame these limitations by adding alphanumeric capabilities to both the display and keyboard.
0 kommentar(er)
