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.