calculator request

[freespace2dotcom]

Say, dan, I was wondering. My orbiter playing has been pretty null, lately, but I've realized that after playing some
today, There was one thing bugging me about the DG3's calculator, which was so critical to me that I never bothered
using it.

What do you say about adding a "square" key for it, (you do have a square root, so..) and while you're at it, maybe
a "cube" key as well? that as well as parenthesis to help ensure correct order of operation, and man, then I won't
have to lug out my physical calculator anymore. I mean, you've got all that space right next to the keys just asking
to be used!

Oh sure, I could do the math by myself, but I'm a sissy that normally likes the easy way, so, you know how it is....

[laserpithium]

I do agree Dan.
We do not use very often such a thing, but when we use it, it's very ennoying not to have it. And doing a square root
with just multiplications and additions, it's a bit boring...

[DanSteph]

Why, oh why ... nobody requested that during the beta ?
Anyway to have more button one would have to wait the next release
that will happen ..mhhhh  don't know when

Anyway if I add the square root there would be room for three more button:
square, cube and... ?

Dan



Post Edited ( 10-12-04 02:59 )

[David Fox]

Power: ^
Open and Close Parentheses: ( )

The power key could substitute for the square, square root, cube, etc.

You could add an E key, to enable scientific notation.

If you REALLY want to go all out, you could make it a programmable calculator (that might be asking a bit much, but it
would be totally cool), with just one set of memory/recall keys being used to define whatever variable one wished,
and a save button, and the whole thing being integrated with the load/execute keys. Or, you could make it possible
to define custom functions (a little simpler than totally programmable), and maybe we could eventually generate a
library of useful functions for doing various orbital calculations.


One thing that I would really like, though, would be for Kill Rotation to be not actually a "program" that unloads
programs like ascent or reentry. I like to load these programs, somewhat in advance of executing them, but then if I
do a little maneuvering and use Kill Rotation, I have to type them in all over again.


David

[DocHoliday]

Heh, programmable calculator would probably require a similar amount of time as DG itself to be bug-less that is...

One thing that I would really like, though, would be for Kill Rotation to be not actually a "program" that
unloads
programs like ascent or reentry. I like to load these programs, somewhat in advance of executing them, but then if I
do a little maneuvering and use Kill Rotation, I have to type them in all over again.

I agree with this too. I am "trigger-happy" when it comes to killing rotation

[Simonpro]

Erm, isnt it easier to use a real calculator?

[Atom]

Yes it is. But they are not happy with having to get up and get one. But seeing as I'm too lazy to get up and get a
calculator too, I suppose it would be a good idea.

[DocHoliday]

Hm, so you are all saying, Dan should spend like 50 hours programming a fancy calculator, with all the trimmings and
high functionality so we can all keep on being lazy couch pilots, not even having to get up to get a calculator

Did I get it about right?

[Krytom]

Bang on!

[reekchaa]

Meanwhile...
Dan loses a week's worth of work, his kids go hungry, he loses his job, never gets a dime submitted to his PayPal
account for all his hard work, gets evicted, and all us brats lose a brilliant developer to perils of rickets, gout & lice.

For SHAME!!!

[freespace2dotcom]

reekchaa wrote:
Meanwhile...
Dan loses a week's worth of work, his kids go hungry, he loses his job, never gets a dime submitted to his PayPal
account for all his hard work, gets evicted, and all us brats lose a brilliant developer to perils of rickets, gout &
lice.

For SHAME!!!

I tell you what.


the day I get a paypal account, I swear to God I'll tip the man at least a buck.

Maybe even a euro in all it's value if I'm in a good mood.

quite frankly, dan, all I ask for is a power key and parenthesis.

I admit I'm a lazy couch 'tater, simon. You know how hard it is to get up from my 'puter for anything related to work?

It's a lot easier to work with a real calculator, but it's a lot easier to run a functional calculator proggy within a proggy
you're already using without getting up. plus there's the fun factor involved in actually simulating another part of your
experience. If you're gonna go to the trouble of making a calculator, why not make it a bit more usable?

And sorry about not mentioning this sooner, dan. I just grinned and bared it until now. Honestly, it's not a big deal,
but I would really appreciate it once you get the time to.



Post Edited ( 10-15-04 03:41 )

[DocHoliday]

News, Free You don't need a paypal account to pay Dan. Just a credit card And you have to be from a country
that Paypal recognizes (unlike mine)... so..

[freespace2dotcom]

News, doc. Credit cards are a big chunk of the average american's debt. In other words: No way in hell I'm gettin'
one.

I see paypal as a kind of debit service, which is really the only thing I would even consider signing up for.

[DanSteph]

Bah the DGIII was done only for the pleasure...

there is NO freeware in world that get any good money
from a "donate" button anyway.

About paypal I donated all my account's money (there was 22$ on it)
to someone else that needed this money much than me.

Everthing work fine as long as you don't need to transfert fee to your real
bank account... the way you must give your bank data are very unclear and every
error (if the bank return the money as "unknow account" for example) cost you money.
So I think a lot of peoples leave their money forever on their account and a lot
of peoples have only small fee on them.
I think that paypal get big money from all those "forgotten" accounts (just intterest)

I'll not use paypal anymore.

Dan

[DocHoliday]

Free: The debt is not because of credit cards, but because people don't know how to use them and how they work...
If you are careful and disciplined it is all well..

Dan: Actually I have an idea... I would like to make a competition system to paypal. Since you tell me even paypal
isn't any good, this idea actually has potential...

Cheers,
Janez

[Arkalius]

There are lots of paypal like systems out there. They all have their pros and cons... I remember visiting a site that
discussed many of them and what made them good or bad.

[DocHoliday]

Hm... what I am really aiming for is support for ALL countries and localization possibilites. People are inherently
distrustful towards these sort of payment system (as Freespace will confirm), so reading the instructions and all the
rest in your own language would at least lower the aprehension a bit.. Now to be actually able to pay from say
Slovenia to Nicaragua is another challenge altogether, but probabably would be worthwhile

I can imagine such system becoming the amazon.com of freelancers, non-profit organizations and various clubs,
interest groups etc.

Ah, never mind, I'm just dreaming

Cheers,

[freespace2dotcom]

Doc. I don't want to open myself to the risk of finding out the hard way that I'm not disciplined enough.

I'm normally pretty good with money. but when you get up to dealing with thousands of bucks, then I don't know if
will power will do any good.

In any case, I'd much rather save up to buy what I want. Then there's no such thing as paying interest.

I'd be interested to see competition for paypal, as most certainly they need something. I've never heard of anything
besides them, so I can assume that they hold a major part of the market.

And dan, I feel more compelled to tip you for something that I got free, then I would be to pay you if you charged me
for it. The offer still stands, not because I feel bad about you not getting anything ( as you dont' want that) but as I
genunely think you deserve it regardless.

Not that a few dollars is worth much these days, but I'm poor, and I don't have any credit cards.

[reekchaa]

that may be all well and nice.. but did all of you forget about.. 'For SHAME!!!!' ???

I already feel pretty responsible for pushing Dan into giving us EVA capable crew, with jet-belts and laser weapons.
(still waitin' on that)
And Canadave won't come back to us until he has his VR Cabin Girl serving him assorted beverages.
(that poor, poor man)
Let us not forget why Dan does all this... FOR US!  US!!  AHH HA HA HA HA!!  

-=+ [/i]Reekshaw[/i] }

[DanSteph]

DocHoliday wrote:
Dan: Actually I have an idea... I would like to make a competition system to paypal. Since you tell me even paypal
isn't any good, this idea actually has potential...

I don't have the first clue of how doing this but I suspect
it would be difficult. (well I have one or two idea but not much)

I was very bad with money until 35 old where
I finally learned how to manage it. Basically: let it in, don't let it out.
Before that my account was this color always

now it's still this color but for others reasons

So ask me programation question instead

Dan

[DanSteph]

reekchaa wrote:
And Canadave won't come back to us until he has his VR Cabin Girl serving him assorted beverages.
(that poor, poor man)

I just wrote him a small mail just to know how he is.

The good ol' time uuh ?

Dan

[DocHoliday]

hehe, I remember discussion about a... translucent space suit

[Atom]

Ah the old days. In fact not much has changed, appart from the disappearence of Canadave.

[DanSteph]

About Canadave, he wrote me a mail two day ago
and he salute all the forum members.

He's going well and plan to perhaps make a come back in Orbiter
when the new release will be out.

Dan

[Atom]

Yay. Good to hear from him.