Recommendations for Calculator Software

[BobH]

I've been doing some calculations using the WinXP Pro calculator tool (applet?). It occurs to me that there must be better widgets out there. The built-in one works, but not being able to cut and paste is a bother. Also, I'd like to have multiple memory registers.

What free calculator software applications for the PC have you folks found that you recommend and why?

TIA

[Claude]

What free calculator software applications for the PC have you folks found that you recommend and why?TIA

This one is free, and why I recommend it ? It'll make you think

[Argus]

I've no problem using Ctrl-C & Ctrl-V with the Calculator and other software.

There is a PowerToy for Windows XP: the Power Calculator, with some extra features. It's a long time since I tested it, so I can't say anything about it.

I would call the Calculator a component, a Windows component; part of the OS accessories, since that is what Microsoft call it.

This one is free, and why I recommend it ? It'll make you think

That's a great one, Claude.

[Goshute]

Bob, you're an Excel user! A calculator is redundant!

[AlanMiller]

There is a PowerToy for Windows XP: the Power Calculator, with some extra features. It's a long time since I tested it, so I can't say anything about it.

I'd second that recommendation, but as an extra rather than a replacement, since it lacks some fundamental features of a standard scientific calculator. It is really geared to large integer calculations (simple operations) and its hallmark is to cater to numbers of virtually unlimited precision (maybe a million digits!) I studied Karen's source code for this, for the purpose of "borrowing it" for my own (personal) program , and it's very neat IMHO.

Alan

[AlanMiller]

I've been doing some calculations using the WinXP Pro calculator tool (applet?). It occurs to me that there must be better widgets out there. The built-in one works, but not being able to cut and paste is a bother. Also, I'd like to have multiple memory registers.

Are you looking for something specific? Financial, scientific, engineering... ?

Not related, but really handy IMO for just about any conversion is Convert for Windows. ware, portable single EXE and only 155KB.

Alan

[AlanMiller]

This one is free, and why I recommend it ? It'll make you think

This is quite funny. Probably near 20 yrs ago I was doing some tutoring work. I had picked up a whole shoebox full of miniature souvenir slide rules (pictures of Sydney Harbour Bridge etc. on the back) from an op shop @ 10¢ each. I used them to show students how logs were actually useful in the "old" days. One kid took his to school and came back with orders for dozens of these nifty "new magic rulers"! Apparently his school mates thought they were the neatest thing since graphical calculators!

Alan

[Charlotte]

This is quite funny. Probably near 20 yrs ago I was doing some tutoring work. I had picked up a whole shoebox full of miniature souvenir slide rules (pictures of Sydney Harbour Bridge etc. on the back) from an op shop @ 10¢ each. I used them to show students how logs were actually useful in the "old" days. One kid took his to school and came back with orders for dozens of these nifty "new magic rulers"! Apparently his school mates thought they were the neatest thing since graphical calculators!

Alan

I haven't used a slide rule in nearly 50 years and have forgotten how, but I was a wizard with one in high school trigonometry!

[agibsonsw]

I seem to remember a little tin mechanical 'toy' calculator when I was a kid. I think you had to use a pen to slide panels left and right.

Perhaps I dreamt it?

[JoeP]

See Microsoft Mathematics 4.0.

From the web page: Microsoft Mathematics provides a graphing calculator that plots in 2D and 3D, step-by-step equation solving, and useful tools to help students with math and science students.

It is free and has a 32-bit & 64-bit version.

Joe

[StuartR]

...
I haven't used a slide rule in nearly 50 years and have forgotten how, but I was a wizard with one in high school trigonometry!

When I was in School I had a cylindrical slide rule with a 72" scale. I reckoned it was nearly as accurate as 4 figure log tables.

(not this particular model, but it was very similar)

[Goshute]

I seem to remember a little tin mechanical 'toy' calculator when I was a kid. I think you had to use a pen to slide panels left and right.

Perhaps I dreamt it?

Probably NOT a Curta? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta_calculator" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[agibsonsw]

1948? I'm not quite that old.

A thin, tin 'calculator-sized' calculator/toy. I should have kept it, could be worth money (not).

[Teunis]

I've been doing some calculations using the WinXP Pro calculator tool (applet?). It occurs to me that there must be better widgets out there. The built-in one works, but not being able to cut and paste is a bother. Also, I'd like to have multiple memory registers.

What free calculator software applications for the PC have you folks found that you recommend and why?

TIA

If you are (were) familiar with the HP family of calulators check this link to get PC based emulators.

http://www.hpcalc.org/hp48/pc/emulators/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regards, Teunis

[AlanMiller]

I haven't used a slide rule in nearly 50 years and have forgotten how, but I was a wizard with one in high school trigonometry!

How nice to hear from you Charlotte! Been a while.
I remember being introduced to a slide rule in yr 11 physics. And remember thinking at the time, "I'd better use this thing sparingly because I can tell it's dulling my powers of mental arithmetic"! This was before calculators came along and ruined them completely.

Alan

[Charlotte]

1948? I'm not quite that old.

A thin, tin 'calculator-sized' calculator/toy. I should have kept it, could be worth money (not).

I actually have a couple of very old steel mechanical calculators that worked the same way. They were the real thing, used long before electronic versions were thought of. I inherited them from my mother and have no idea what they're worth.

[BobH]

My apologies to all.

I've failed to express my gratitude for your replies. I am very sorry for the bad manners.

I really appreciate the responses and I'm trying several of the applications you pointed me to.

I too used a 'slip-stick' more than 50 years ago. In fact, I last used one in the late sixties just before I bought my first TI, pre-programmable. Took a big chunk of change out of the budget but I justified it for production management.

[steveh]

I seem to remember a little tin mechanical 'toy' calculator when I was a kid. I think you had to use a pen to slide panels left and right.

Perhaps I dreamt it?

Probably NOT a Curta? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta_calculator" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would have liked one of those Curta's, when I first started work we had a state of the art Facit mechanical calculator, you needed a forklift to move it around!! Once you actually got used to using it properly it was great

[StuartR]

...when I first started work we had a state of the art Facit mechanical calculator...

When I was about 17, I had a job in London calculating pensions for an insurance company and we used machines that looked just like that.

[Bigaldoc]

When I went to work at IBM in 1964, our office had one of these old Friden calculators.