HP 32S

My HP32s from ~40 years ago still resides on my workbench where I mess around with RF circuits for fun. It has no graphing capability and it's barely programmable, but that's ok, I keep an actual computer nearby for those sorts of things. The calculator keeps earning new batteries bc tinkering with analog circuits I frequently want to evaluate little things like AB/(A+B) or 1/2piF or (1+S)/(1-S), or need the log 10 or square root or the cosine of something. In those circumstances, the calculator's compact form factor is quite convenient, compared to needing two hands at the computer keyboard, or one handedly hunt-pecking said keyboard. As for the mouse, that has to be the slowest, most focus stealing option of them all. The calculator doesn't take much room, so it can be kept within arm's reach without getting in the way, quickly gives me the numbers I need, without demanding I become fully engaged with it. Also, those old HP buttons are just so nice to press, a refreshing break from the dead flat glass you get everywhere else these days.

I use my 32S (lives on my monitor pedestal next to my 8087 chip) weekly. When I was doing floating point/integer bit twiddling the 'base' key was my deeply appreciated friend. But that was 36 years ago. RPN (if trained into the brain) really is faster and I love how the register transfers work. Nowadays when I'm not feeling especially tactile I tend to reach for the Free42 Android app, which lives in a stack with the 32S. If I ever get bored , I'm going to relearn how to program them both. Next time around on the wheel, likely, if I have hands. I've replaced the battery on the 32S twice. Suck on that, modernity.

I considered buying one of these at the time (as a happy HP 32S calculator user) but after playing with a colleague's one I decided not to bother. It was neat but there were so many compromises and inconveniences that it made the thing difficult at best so I figured I'd leave it a few years to see what happened. My colleague, after the initial amazed and shiny period wore off, just used it as a terminal for futzing with routers with in the end. This was a pretty expensive solution because we already had piles of old Wyse terminals floating around unused.

I still have the `HP 32SII` on the desk and use it for quick calculations without leaving the focus of the workspace. Batteries last about forever. But also I use `free42` on the smartphone, which is a similar experience. As you can see, I just like RPN.

The 42S was also mostly backward compatible with programs written for the 41C, intending to be its modern replacement. It did have an IR connection for some expandability (this was pre-USB era). I'll also note that, with regards to using an HP42S today, most of their LCD screens have not aged super well and have faded a lot. Other models like the HP15 and HP32S(ii) have LCD screens that seem to age a bit better for whatever reason (potentially the support for the menu and limited graphing behavior of the 42S required some slightly different LCD parts). I have all these models, but wouldn't recommend an original 42S to anyone but a collector due to screen visibility issues - my HP15C and HP32S are plenty usable still though. I also highly recommend the Swiss Micro replicas if you like RPN calcs. Very solid attempts at reproducing and modernizing some timeless calculators.