02-23-2021, 06:00 PM
(Yes, I saw @tllim's post here but I thought I might as well post this anyway.)
I use a scientific calculator (Texas Instruments TI-30X IIS, to be exact) for schoolwork, and I like it, mostly. However, it is missing various capabilities which I would appreciate (e.g. it's missing some functions relating to processing data sets). This naturally gets me aggravated at my calculator for not providing such things, and furthermore makes me wish that TI provided a way to reprogram their calculators. (Ah, the value of open source software!)
This further led me to think: Hmm, a reprogrammable, open-source calculator... this sounds like it could be a Pine64 project! Therefore, I am throwing this idea out there in case anybody thinks it's a good idea.
As for specs:
- Given Pine64's recent interest in RISC-V, perhaps the calculator could have a low-power RISC-V CPU.
- This calculator should definitely be equipped with a solar panel to recharge the battery. I would get annoyed at a calculator that I had to recharge every night.
- A simple LCD panel would suffice for the display--it might not even need a backlight.
- RAM: not much would be needed; even a few kilobytes might suffice for a custom ROM, although Linux fans (like myself) would probably prefer the RAM to be in the megabytes to support Linux.
- Storage: again, not much; just enough for a ROM (or the Linux kernel) and a few bytes or so for storing user variables in memory.
Again, this is just my wild idea; if it's not a good idea, tell me.
I use a scientific calculator (Texas Instruments TI-30X IIS, to be exact) for schoolwork, and I like it, mostly. However, it is missing various capabilities which I would appreciate (e.g. it's missing some functions relating to processing data sets). This naturally gets me aggravated at my calculator for not providing such things, and furthermore makes me wish that TI provided a way to reprogram their calculators. (Ah, the value of open source software!)
This further led me to think: Hmm, a reprogrammable, open-source calculator... this sounds like it could be a Pine64 project! Therefore, I am throwing this idea out there in case anybody thinks it's a good idea.
As for specs:
- Given Pine64's recent interest in RISC-V, perhaps the calculator could have a low-power RISC-V CPU.
- This calculator should definitely be equipped with a solar panel to recharge the battery. I would get annoyed at a calculator that I had to recharge every night.
- A simple LCD panel would suffice for the display--it might not even need a backlight.
- RAM: not much would be needed; even a few kilobytes might suffice for a custom ROM, although Linux fans (like myself) would probably prefer the RAM to be in the megabytes to support Linux.
- Storage: again, not much; just enough for a ROM (or the Linux kernel) and a few bytes or so for storing user variables in memory.
Again, this is just my wild idea; if it's not a good idea, tell me.
