Perhaps I should n’t admit this in a public forum , but I sleep together calculators . Not the fragile thing you used to get for spare at the bank , or those cheap ones you’re able to find at any supermarket or deduction store — I’m tattle scientific calculators . The form with sizable screens , beaucoup clit , and mucho retention . Part of my affinity for these geeky gadgets stem from my skill background . ( I originally went to college to be a physicist . I transfer my psyche . ) The other part is that I ’m a boastful buff ofRPN(Reverse Polish Notation ) , the preferred launching method of scientific and techie type — once you ’ve taken to RPN , traditional equation entry seems limiting , and RPN is a feature of speech found mainly in more innovative calculators .
In recent years , software computer have become more and more popular , probably due to the fact that the people most likely to be using scientific calculators are also quite likely to be using computer . On the Mac platform , my favourite package calc has long been James Thomson ’s excellent PCalc 2 . However , the last update was over four years ago and Mac OS X has amount a long way since then : Tiger ’s progress - in Calculator app now has scientific and RPN modes , and with the Second Coming of Dashboard — which is the staring environment for calculators in ecumenical — I’ve found myself using the Widget - based calculator RPN Calc . But I ’ve always hope to see an updated interlingual rendition of PCalc .
You ’ve probably already work out out where this is go : At long last , James has releasedPCalc 3 (; $ 19 , barren upgrade for those who purchase PCalc 2 , $ 10 upgrade for those who received PCalc 2 complimentary with their Macs ) . And what an update it is . If you demand a scientific calculator , enjoy RPN , or are just a fan of geeky software , PCalc is once again the cream of the calculator crop . ( PCalc also supports standard input , so it ’s not just for RPN - lovers . )
Like OS X ’s own Calculator , PCalc has a canonical manner that provides the most common figurer functions :
But enable its various in advance selection and you get all the features you ’d expect in a full - fledge scientific calculator , along with a “ paper ” tape , advance data about the current figure , RPN register display , and quick - admittance toolbar menus for functions , conversion , and constants :
PCalc ’s stock scientific functions are likely conversant to anyone who needs them , but its Functions , Conversions , and Constants options — approachable via the PCalc toolbar or their respective card — are utilitarian additions . The Functions characteristic provides ripe calculations relating to complex numbers , trig , finance , and much more . The Conversions feature works much like Apple ’s own Calculator : you’re able to commute units of angle , area , bytes , energy , duration , pressure , speed , temperature , time , volume , and free weight . ( PCalc is lack Calculator ’s currency conversion feature , but that ’s available via Apple ’s Dashboard widget if you need it . ) And the Constants menu lets you quickly infix a identification number of useful constants such as the speed of light , Avagadro ’s number , standard gravitative acceleration , and even the Ultimate Answer , 42 . ( PCalc even supports third - party plugins for part and conversions . )
you could also customize PCalc to your taste . Two built - in appearance styles ( Aqua and Metal ) and support for third - political party way spark plug - ins give you aesthetic options , and fully configurable keyboard shortcuts — for nearly every function — mean you may make PCalc , um , function precisely how you need it to .
Finally , PCalc offers a issue of pocket-size but useful features that you seldom regain in other reckoner . For example , Undo and Redo commands let you retrace ( and correct ) your steps , and you may copy or glue any telephone number as American Standard Code for Information Interchange , UTF-8 , or UTF-16 — PCalc does the spiritual rebirth for you on - the - fly . And PCalc is likely the first reckoner supply as a Universal Binary — it ’s already able-bodied to feed on the upcoming Intel - ground Macs .
What if you ’d rather use PCalc in Dashboard ? A thingumabob version is include . It does n’t provide the fancy shorts and toolbar , and does n’t include the Functions , Conversions , and Constants features , but it ’s still the dear widget calculator I ’ve seen .
One more affair … If , like me , you do n’t want PCalc ’s orotund windowpane to cover other window and the Desktop ( or other widgets in Dashboard ) when it ’s not actively being used , you’re able to fix it to automatically minimize to just the display when in the background — you’re able to still view the results of your calculation , but everything else is hide . ( However , in an odd queerness , if you enable this option and also turn on the tapeline , info , and/or stack bloomers , you actually see the boxershorts undefended and close each time you switch to or from PCalc ; I ’d rather they just appear and disappear , as the aliveness is distracting . )
Now , I to the full take on that not everyone needs such a killer calc . But for those who do — students , instructor , aspiring physicists — or those who just prize a great calculator , it does n’t get much better than PCalc .
PCalc 3 require Mac OS X 10.4.2 or later on due to its use of Tiger - only technology . PCalc 2 , which works with older versions of Mac OS X , is still uncommitted ( and is still very good )
