30 Oct
2006
30 Oct
'06
11:15 p.m.
sorry I couldn't resist ...
ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) wrote:
I think the distinction I normally use is often called
'keeper'. That's a
pun on 'Key Per Function' meaning a calcultor has, say, a key labelled
'SIN', whereas on a computer you spell it out. Byt that definition the
HP41 is a calculator (although you _can_ spell out the function names if
you want to), the HP9830 most vertainly isn't.
so what does this make the Sinclair ZX-80, ZX-81 and Spectrum systems?
(I am not even sure you *could* type in the commands, I think you *had*
to press the appropriate function key).
**vp
31 Oct
31 Oct
3:33 p.m.
sorry I couldn't resist ...
ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) wrote:
The exception that proves the rule ? :-) (I couldn't resist either).
I think the distinction I normally use is often
called 'keeper'. That's a
pun on 'Key Per Function' meaning a calcultor has, say, a key labelled
'SIN', whereas on a computer you spell it out. Byt that definition the
HP41 is a calculator (although you _can_ spell out the function names if
you want to), the HP9830 most vertainly isn't.
so what does this make the Sinclair ZX-80, ZX-81 and Spectrum systems? (I am not even sure you *could* type in the commands,
I think you *had*
to press the appropriate function key).
You do. It saved them having to fit a tokenising routine into the ROM.
So how do you distinguish 'calculator' from 'computer'?
-tony
3:05 a.m.
Tony Duell wrote:
to nit-pick:
a) didn't the later Spectrums (128, +2, +3) with '128 BASIC' let you type the
commands without the keyword system?
b) At least on the 16K / 48K Spectrums (not sure about the ZX80 or '81) there
was a 'feature' of ZX BASIC whereby through some key combination you could
delete a keyword but the BASIC wouldn't drop back to keyword mode properly. Of
course it doesn't count because the interpreter then wouldn't make sense of
anything typed, but getting out of keyword mode *was* possible ;)
so what does
this make the Sinclair ZX-80, ZX-81 and Spectrum systems?
The exception that proves the rule ? :-) (I couldn't resist either).
(I am not even sure you *could* type in the
commands, I think you *had*
to press the appropriate function key).
You do. It saved them having to fit a tokenising routine into the ROM. So how do you distinguish 'calculator' from
'computer'?
A calculator calculates, a computer computes? ;-) I suppose it depends purely
on the designer's intended primary usage - from looks (display type, key
layout, and I hate to say it - size) it's often pretty obvious that something
is mainly designed for one particular use - but there are cases where it
functions (at least) adequately for the 'other' use too.
Heck, back to Spectrums, I remember that the +2 had a built-in calculator
application... (what were the other main menu options? 128 BASIC, Spectrum
BASIC, Calculator, but I'm sure there was at least one other)
cheers
Jules
11:04 a.m.
On 1/11/06 11:05, "Jules Richardson" <julesrichardsonuk at yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:
Yep, from the Investronica 128 (the first 'toastrack' edition with the Big
Metal Heatsink?) to the +3, 128 mode let you just type and make your own
mistakes.
You do. It
saved them having to fit a tokenising routine into the ROM.
to nit-pick:
a) didn't the later Spectrums (128, +2, +3) with '128 BASIC' let you type
the
commands without the keyword system? b) At least on the 16K / 48K Spectrums (not sure about
the ZX80 or '81) there
was a 'feature' of ZX BASIC whereby through some key combination you could
delete a keyword but the BASIC wouldn't drop back to keyword mode properly. Of
I never came across that, but there was at least a couple of 3rd party hacks
that bypassed the keyword system and let you type 'properly'. I didn't like
them at the time because I knew my way round the keyboard blindfold so I was
much quicker typing in programs using the keyword system.
Heck, back to Spectrums, I remember that the +2 had a
built-in calculator
application... (what were the other main menu options? 128 BASIC, Spectrum
BASIC, Calculator, but I'm sure there was at least one other)
Tape tester.....
--
Adrian/Witchy
Binary Dinosaurs creator/curator
Www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk - the UK's biggest private home computer
collection?
6401
days inactive
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5 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
-
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
bfranchuk＠jetnet.ab.ca -
julesrichardsonuk＠yahoo.co.uk -
vp＠drexel.edu -
witchy＠binarydinosaurs.co.uk