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DATE : 2021.01.01
TIME : 14:15
AUTHOR :
[email protected]
TITLE : ORPIE: A RPN CALCULATOR YOU CAN USE IN YOUR TERMINAL
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Orpie: a RPN calculator you can use in your terminal
I bought my first RPN calculator in 1984 during my freshman year at
Clemson University. It was an HP-11C. I don't remember the reason I
chose a RPN calculator. I know I needed an scientific calculator,
but RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) was new to me; prior to this
purchase, all I had ever used were Casio and TI algebraic
calculators. Thinking back on it now, if I had to guess, it was
probably the bullet-pointed marketing, or the long equation solved
simply example on the box that sold me; but whatever the reason, I
clearly remember sitting down in the library, reading the manual,
and learning to use this RPN calculator. That first 30 minutes to
an hour of playing with this new, strange little calculator (the
HP-11C was designed to fit in a front shirt pocket--making it a
true pocket calculator) calculator without an equal sign button
quite literally changed my life!
I know that sounds sort of nerdy, but since that day in 1984 I have
not been able to use a non-RPN calculator--at least without
difficulty. I won't make this a tutorial on how to use RPN, but I
will say that once you use one, going back is difficult. Using a
normal calculator requires more keystrokes, and is not intuitive
for me now. Some of the reasons RPN calculators are superior (in my
opinion) to algebraic include: error correction; intermediate
results are shown; less keystrokes are required; no parenthesis;
and the stack.
I've owned many RPN calculators since 1984 (and I still have the
first one too). My current daily use calculator is the HP 35s. RPN
calculators are mostly made by HP, and are hard to find in physical
stores (you most often have to buy them online). Fortunately though
you can easily install a RPN calculator on your linux computer.
My favorite RPN calculator for linux is orpie. Orpie is probably
already in your distro's repo as well, at least it is for debian.
What I love about orpie is that is Curses based and as such can be
used in a terminal. Because it is a terminal app, I can run over
ssh, i can run without a window manager, and (my favorite way) I
can run it in a hot-keyed floating terminal that i can send to the
I3 scratchpad and pull it up anytime I need it. Orpie is the main
reason I don't regret buying a laptop with a number pad.
I love HP RPN calculators, and I love orpie too; they make math
fun.
--norris
(o\_!_/o)
