Short: powerful scientific calculator/language (bug fix) Architecture: m68k-amigaos icalc version 2.1a (C) 1991, 1992 Martin W. Scott. All Rights Reserved. Welcome to icalc version 2.1! If you're new to icalc, first read this document, then the 'UserGuide'. If you've used version 2.0 before, a glance at the 'History' and a quick review of the 'Advanced Guide' will bring you up to date. Users of the versions 1.x should re-read all docmentation. Version 2.0 contained a major bug fix to the sqrt function, some minor (pvr-based) bug fixes to the inverse trig functions, and many major enhancements since version 1.1. Version 2.1 contains a yet another bug-fix of the sqrt function, plus a couple of other minor fixes. In version 2.0, sqrt would very rarely behave incorrectly, due to an obscure rounding error. This has been fixed, hopefully for the last time. Version 2.1a is identical to version 2.1 except that a number display bug has been fixed. This version introduces flexible number-base control (so you can do all your calculations in hexadecimal if you want) plus one or two minor enhancements. Also included are some powerful scripts to perform numerical integration and polynomial root-finding. Overview -------- icalc is a (shell-based) calculator/programming language, with a number of powerful features. Programmers will find the base conversion useful, complex arithmetic will aid those working in electronics, and a host of other capabilities should satisfy most people's needs: - evaluates complicated expressions in same manner as many programing languages and advanced pocket calculators; - many built-in functions and constants; - arbitrarily named variables; - user-defined functions with C-like control-structures; - one-dimensional arrays; - performs complex-number arithmetic (including trig stuff etc.); - can work in any number-base from 2 to 36; - extensible through script files; - much more... You can react in a number of ways to the above list: Reaction: Looks too complicated for me! My Answer: You don't have to utilise what you don't want/need to; you can use icalc at a number of different levels. Reaction: It's free, so it's bound to be pretty crap... My Answer: Try it out. If you still think that, pass it over. I could have made it shareware, but it's against my principles (still an idealist at my age...) Reaction: Who needs another programming language? My Answer: icalc is fast enough for many math tasks, and is quick to get into -- no compilation etc., it's interactive, and great for prototyping. Plus, if you need complex arithmetic, you don't have to write loads of support routines, I've already done that. Documentation ------------- Apart from this file and the history, instructions are split into two parts, a User Guide, and an Advanced Guide. The user guide covers material explaining the calculator nature of icalc, with simple function definition; the Advanced Guide covers control-structures, arrays and more complicated function definitions. You may notice that the User Guide is nicely formatted, whilst the Advanced Guide is not. This is because I used nro for document processing in the past, but intend switching it over to TeX (sometime). Installation ------------ icalc uses the standard Commodore mathieeedoub-libraries, which should be in your LIBS: directory. You may optionally copy the 'icalc.init' file to your S: directory. It contains various useful extensions to icalc, and is read on startup. (There is an extensively commented version for your perusal too.) That's it. Scripts ------- icalc comes with a few useful scripts. If you write any that you think may be useful, send them to me and I'll include them in the next release. Contact + Moans --------------- Source is available on request, for a fee of $25 (US), or equivalent in your currency. Cash or IMOs/Eurochecques are preferable to Bank cheques. For the same fee, versions compiled for 680x0 with 6888x can be obtained. (One fee covers both, though). Of course, if you like icalc and are a kind-hearted soul, I'll gladly accept any money you may wish to send (poor student and all that). Send all comments, suggestions, bug-reports, scripts, money etc. to me at: Martin W. Scott, 23, Drum Brae North, Edinburgh EH4 8AT, United Kingdom. I can be contacted by email (until about June 1993) at: mws@castle.ed.ac.uk I would like to thank the (few) people who have responded to previous versions of icalc. Although I write software mainly for myself, I go to considerable effort making it releasable (such as writing documentation, retaining compatability with previous versions). If I get little or no response from this release, I must assume that little or no people are using it, and thus will stop issuing updates and bug fixes. icalc is NOT shareware, and although I'm happy to receive contributions for my efforts, I don't expect them. I DO expect people to let me know they're using icalc though, even if it's just a postcard. Thank you for reading, and enjoy... Martin.