Calculator / RPN / Solver

[wendell]

I carried for a long time an HP 200LX palmtop (runs DOS). I used and loved two apps on it: Derive, a math program, and the equation solver built-in to the 200LX calculator app. Derive wasn't really easy to use as an equation solver / general purpose calculator, but otherwise it rocks.

I am exploring the possiblity of using a dos emulator on a C860 with derive. Seems clunky though.

I want something like the equation solver that was built into the 200LX, and it would be fantastic if it were also about as functional as Derive (think of Derive as a sort of precursor to Mathematica).

Basically, I'm thinking there HAS to be a killer math app out there for this. I'd rather not use the TI or HP48 emulator that is floating around.  

I have been using the spread sheet app for some physics experiments.. I actually record the data and do the calculations right there (and boy that is every grad student's dream!).

What is out there? What do people want? Is there an X/QT app anyone would like ported to the Arm? I used the 200lx for the better part of 10 years with derive.. so this is an important project for me!!

[jfv]

In the Zaurus Software Index you will find various options, such as Maxima, Pari/GP and YACAS.

Felipe

[wendell]

In the Zaurus Software Index you will find various options, such as Maxima, Pari/GP and YACAS.

Felipe

Maxima is almost great. I'd like to have an easy-to-use front-end for it though.  Is there any chance the X version of maxima will work with Cacko? I tried pdaXrom and wow, its fast, but it kind of put me off because all the applications I got used to were gone.

I also liked the application keys.. actually launching applications. (I know I know xmod map, but sheesh).

YACAS isn't far enough along, and Pari/GP is just a text interface.

On the old HP200LX, I could put in an equation and then solve it several different times (even with derive you can do that, but not as easily). E.g. I could type in x^3 + y^2 + z = q ... save it and then type in a number and hit an F-key that corresponded with one of the unknowns. For physics equations, I could put in different numbers for each run of an experiment and record that on a spreadsheet.

I have been using Hancom sheet to calculate some stuff like this, but it is a bit more painful than on the 200lx because I have to really simplify the equation to get it to work on the spreadsheet. (yuck).

Maxima with X's front end would cover the Derive end of the world, but I'm still looking for a good solver. QPlot seems like it is kinda getting there, but nothing fancy so far.

Oh, and setting bochs and qemu have been a real bust. The sites mentioned in other threads here are completely down and have been down for the past few days.

[lardman]

Pari/GP is just a text interface

Try a search for Xcas, which is an X11 front-end. There are binaries (for the iPAQ) which work fine on my 5500 and C750.

Maxima is almost great. I'd like to have an easy-to-use front-end for it though. Is there any chance the X version of maxima will work with Cacko?

Texmacs? I couldn't get it to compile though.

Both of the above will/would require the use of XQt as you're using Cacko.


Simon

[wendell]

Pari/GP is just a text interface

Try a search for Xcas, which is an X11 front-end. There are binaries (for the iPAQ) which work fine on my 5500 and C750.

Maxima is almost great. I'd like to have an easy-to-use front-end for it though. Is there any chance the X version of maxima will work with Cacko?

Texmacs? I couldn't get it to compile though.

Both of the above will/would require the use of XQt as you're using Cacko.


Simon

Thanks. I got Xcas working with Xqt. Is it supposed to take 20-30 seconds to start up, though???  I wish pdaXrom were farther along...  it seems so fast. I wouldn't think X could possibly be that light and fast.

I will play with it and post the results. This is more toward what I have been looking for.  (Eventually, I want a tricorder instead of a PDA. heh).

Someone here had maple or mathematica working on their Z. I can't seem to get to the sites mentioned in those threads anymore.

[lardman]

Is yacas really that bad? I thought it worked resonably well (I'll compile a newer version if there's one out).

A couple of other tools you could look at are Octave and R (as I've got binaries for both); though they aren't exactly what you want they may be useful.


Si