21 replies to this topic

[fiberoptik]

Hello again people, i've been using my CP for about a week and i'm really enjoying it, but i've been thinking how is it possible that Casio, (the world leader in calculators), when developed the ClassPad (about 7 years of R&D) forgot to include such a thing as a BaseN converter ? Even the most simple cientific calculator as one! I'm pretty shure that they studied their rivals (TI and HP) so, why did they forget Unit conversion or Measuring Units calculations ? It's a major flaw from Casio! I hope that people at Casio really listen to us, ClassPad users, and see this and other foruns for suggestions, because i think that is not acceptable that a model that intends to be the best, simply forgets the people who most use calculators : engineers and engineering students (i'm in Electronics and Computer Engineering)! Or maybe i'm wrong and the concept behind CP is not intendend for engineering. For my personal opinion, if Casio does'nt change this in a near future, i'll sell my CP and buy V200, for as much as it cost, because i'm really enjoying CP and i can see all it's potencial. I just hope that Casio takes advantage of all that potencial and makes CP unquestionably the best calculator.
Sorry for the long post but i had to share my feelings with you all CP users.

Thanks

[R00KIE]

well, that is a flaw indeed, but remember that it's a programable calculator you're talking about, you can make or download a program to do that

[CrimsonCasio]

well, they didnt exactly forget it i think, but it was intended to be a classroom calculator, not a more general purpose calc. Base conversions should be added though, along with a few other things.

[fiberoptik]

I surely hope that they include the stuff that we need to make it the "perfect" calculator. About the CP being a programmable calculator, it's very good, but the V200 also is a programmable calculator and does many of the things i've seen people ask for. Maybe it also didn't have all the things in the first model and TI added later, so let's wait to see what Casio wiil do. Again about programming, don't you people forget that there is many people that can't write a single line of code, and cannot sit and wait that someone with good will write the program they need. For me it shouldn't be a major problem, since i made some programs some years ago (Basic and Turbo Pascal)but i think that the improvements should be for everybody. Imagine, for example me, in a classroom with my astonishing CP and then picking from my briefcase my old FX-7700G for base conversion . Now, this one is specially for CrimsonCasio: in your reply you say that they didn't forget on purpose (i also think that) because CP is ment for the classroom, but don't forget that CP is intended to use in University and so the basic tools should be supplied. As for the rest like SpreadSheets and things of the type, those i think that should be programmed by each one or even Casio for extra power in CP.
Please don't take this post as a critic (especially you CrimsonCasio) to you people, it's just my opinion.
BTW, i'm from Portugal, can i write in Portuguese ? Because sometimes i have to think about the right words in english.

Once again, thank you for "listening" to me

[CrimsonCasio]

you do know there is a spreadsheet add-in right? go to classpad.net

[fiberoptik]

I do know that there is a SpreadSheet, and as, i said that kind of aplication should be programmed as separate to enhace the CP power. Once again, please don't take my post as a personal thing.

Thanks

[CrimsonCasio]

oh im not, trust me, not many people are bigger critics of Casio

[fiberoptik]

Ok, lets wait for the new os

Thanks

[Griott]

I think we just have to be patient. I am sure CASIO is making every effort on the cp's software ( with the help of the people at Saltire). Recently, on an Educative Maths Convention, I met one of the CASIO?s advisors on mathematics. They are independent researchers that give their services to CASIO, and explained me that every capability and feature that we see in the math software included with the calculator have been deeply studied and designed with the aid of specialists in education like them. I see that process taking very long time, becouse if CASIO wanted I?m sure they could have launched a product with the sum of all the features we want to see. Basically, the CP was designed as a Math Edeucation Tool, so this is a great feature becouse it can be used in school as well as in university. For CASIO the first challenge was to create a piece of hardware cabable of doing such things while still being not too expensive to be reached by many people, including students. I think they succeeded, that cp300 is beautyfull, has much horsepower and is lightweight. Some peolpe dont like it having a not so clear screen and .. and... etc. But I dont see they making any new cp300 model soon. Now they have to concentrate their efforts in the software. As a software developer I undersand how laborious and difficult can it be to release a software for distribution, specially when many people is expetant on that. It is not an easy task, no matter if you have 10, 100 or more analysts and developpers. So my hurry for new releases on the OS and for the first appearance of the SDK has been calmed down. But I don't doubt the are preparing new versions to be released soon.

I think the Cp300 was not initially designed for engineering. This doesnt mean that it cannot be used for it. CASIO has adopted a different strategy of that of the other companies (ie TI, HP), you could not come up with a product identical to that of your rivals. Perhaps the people at HP, twenty years ago never realized that their calculators would be used today in specialized topography applications. I thing the same will happen with the Cp300. One, two ore more years ahead people will be constructing applications or simple programs that we never thougth a calculator could run.

[fiberoptik]

Hi again people
Griott, all you say is very true, and in fact, as a learning tool, Casio reached their objectives with CP. All i say is that a calculator that is supposed to be used in university (here in Portugal, CP is only allowed in university along with AFX2.0) should bring tools for the students to use. As i said before, maybe i failed to understand the philosophy behind CP, but then again, should i bring two calculators to school ? One for learning and other for other calculations ? Of course not ! That's why i say that Casio should improve new features in CP to make it the ideal tool for everybody, from programmers to engineers. And i am shure that the day when CP will be doing all this functions we ask for, TI and HP must reinvent themselves to make a product to rival CP, because everybody will go for CP.

Once again thank you all, and keep suggesting new things to make CP the best.

[CrimsonCasio]

lol, i sometimes bring 3 calcs to school

[Bj2c]

i always use the my FX.20 and my CP in exams , sometimes the CP takes a while in a simple problem , so I use the FX.20 for other problems , it would be great if the classpad can make a sound when finish ,

Spanish ,

yo siempre uso Fx2.0 y CP en los examenes , algunas veces la CP , se toma buen tiempo en resolver un simple problema , asi que aprovecho me F.x para otras preguntas , seria genial si la CP daria un pitido o un Beep cuando acaba de (pensar)

[fiberoptik]

Allright, maybe i will have to do the same for now, but i'm shure that in a near future, CP will be all that we need.

Until next time

[qwerty841]

lol, i sometimes bring 3 calcs to school

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i always bring 3 calcs to school.

[CrimsonCasio]

lol, i knew there was a reason i liked you

[DrCoyote]

I always bring two calculators to work- An HP 49G and an HP 33S. The 49G does everything I need to do, but the 33S fits in my shirt pocket, and does nearly everything I need to do.

I tried to use my ClassPad at work for months. I like the concept, and I thought that if I used it enough, I would get used to the shortcomings. But I'm afraid my patience has worn thin. I need a calculator that is quick and easy to use, with a consistant user interface. Despite all the powerful features, it doesn't meet my needs. And two of the most glaring omissions are the two fiberoptik mentioned- Unit conversions and base-n conversions. There are others...

And yes, I know the ClassPad is programmable. Unfortunately, the programmable features are not well integrated into the OS. If you write a program, it seems as if it runs in a seperate environment. This makes it difficult to solve the calculator's shortcomings by using programs.

Right now, my ClassPad sits in a drawer. I keep reading this forum and others, where people say yo 'be patient'. Well, I am being patient, and I hope new versions of the OS provide the many features my ClassPad is missing. But until then, well... At least my ClassPad won't wear out.

[CrimsonCasio]

you shouldnt have to be patient all that much longer

[omegavirus]

Hi CrimsonCasio, you sound very suspicious in your last post almoust like you know something that we dont kown am I rigth?

[CrimsonCasio]

i may or i may not

[CrimsonCasio]

...ok...?