We are always amused that we can run emulations or virtual copies of yesterday’s computers on our modern computers. In fact, there is so much power at your command now that you can run, say, a DOS emulator on a Windows virtual machine under Linux, even though the resulting DOS prompt would probably still perform better than an old 4.77 MHz PC. Remember when you could get calculators that ran BASIC? Well, [Calculator Clique] shows off BASIC running on a decidedly modern HP Prime calculator. The trick? It’s running under Python. Check it out in the video below.
Think about it. The HP Prime has an ARM processor inside. In addition to its normal programming system, it has Micropython as an option. So that’s one interpreter. Then PyBasic has a nice classic Basic interpreter that runs on Python. We’ve even ported it to one or two of the Hackaday Superconference badges.
If you have a Prime, this is a great way to make it even easier to belt out a simple algorithm. Of course, depending on your age, you might prefer to stick with Python. Fair enough, but don’t forget the many classic games available for Basic. Adventure and Hunt the Wumpus are two of the sample programs included.
Why someone should do this after HP invented RPL on the 48er? I mean it is nice to admire a Ford-T in a museum, but I will not drive it everyday and of course I will not use BASIC for the same reason.
because you can
Exactly :) . Because you can… Some of us are a bit nostalgic. I even wrote a basic interpreter for fun last year. I can run a lot of the old basic applications/games with it — on a Pico, Pico 2, RPI, or desktop. tap into the Pico boards with a serial port and good to go :) . Something about the simplicity of the old BASIC (not talking about M$ VB which I’ll never program in). Pleasant memories back then.
Not that I need another calculator, but I wish HP would have stuck with good ol’ RPN and CAISO or TI would have followed suit. But alas, not to be.
I didn’t know there was a current RPN you could buy from HP. Looks like I can pick the HP Prime at Amazon for ~$150 . But I already have the HP-12C, HP-15C, HP-16C, and a couple older ones… Hmmm….
Holy sh*t I have a semi janky HP 35s sitting here… I figured they still made them and looking real quick they halted production (or something!?) and are selling for much $$$ used!
But this one has the shortest battery life.
It’s apparently a whopping 15 hours.
I know it’s meant as an introduction to visualize “how far we’ve come”,
but in reality, that “old 4.77 MHz PC” is strong enough to run the emulators SIM51 or no$gmb.
SIM51 emulates the intel 8051 microcontroller and can even run 8052AH-BASIC.
No$gmb is a GBC emulator and has an 8086/8088 port that can use CGA and EMS (expanded memory).
It’s possible to play Pokèmon Red/Blue on an authentic IBM PC that way, albeit a bit slowly. :)