But can your calculator run Linux?
But can your calculator run Linux?
但是，你的计算器能运行 Linux 吗？
One of my all time favorite calculators is the HP 16C. It is an RPN calculator aimed at computer programmers with support for hex, binary, octal and decimal and all sorts of useful operations like bit shifting, masking and rotations. I don’t own one myself, I have a Swiss Micro’s DM16L, a high quality modern day remake with improvements like a 2 line display. There is a limited run collectors edition of the HP 16C coming soon though. But none of those calculators run Linux. This one can.
我最喜欢的计算器之一是 HP 16C。它是一款面向计算机程序员的 RPN（逆波兰表示法）计算器，支持十六进制、二进制、八进制和十进制，以及各种实用的操作，如位移、掩码和旋转。我自己并没有原版，但我有一个 Swiss Micro 出品的 DM16L，这是一款高质量的现代复刻版，并改进了诸如双行显示等功能。不过，HP 16C 的限量收藏版很快就要推出了。但这些计算器都无法运行 Linux，而这一款可以。
Below are at least a thousand words covering the HP Prime G2 and other graphical calculators capable of running Linux. You can skip that if you just want to read about my updated Linux port for the Prime G2.
以下是关于 HP Prime G2 以及其他能够运行 Linux 的图形计算器的详细介绍，篇幅至少有一千字。如果你只想了解我为 Prime G2 更新的 Linux 移植版本，可以直接跳过这部分。
HP Prime G2
HP Prime G2
The HP Prime is a graphing calculator on the market since 2013, with a hardware revision in 2018 (the G2 model). It has a touch screen and as far as I can find, most people are happy with it and find it a very capable and fast calculator. I’m not really interested in the calculator part. For most calculations I do for my day job, embedded programming, the HP-16C is a better fit. I was interested in this device because I found posts online suggesting it could run Linux and even a Windows 10 port.
HP Prime 是一款自 2013 年上市的图形计算器，并在 2018 年进行了硬件修订（即 G2 型号）。它配有触摸屏，据我所知，大多数用户对它都很满意，认为它是一款功能强大且运行迅速的计算器。我其实对它的计算功能并不太感兴趣。对于我日常从事的嵌入式编程工作来说，HP-16C 更适合。我之所以对这款设备感兴趣，是因为我在网上发现了一些帖子，暗示它可以运行 Linux，甚至有人移植了 Windows 10。
Bow for me for I am root
向我臣服，因为我是 Root 用户
I do have a history running Linux on older HP devices and I do like to have full privilege on all devices I own. Back then I wrote: “I have a rule that I try to adhere to for devices I own. They must allow a means of root or administrative actions. The Nintendo Switch I got second hand is old enough to be jailbroken. The two Apple devices I own (a first gen iPad Air and first-gen iPhone SE) have vulnerabilities that give me root access. All Android phones I owned I’ve specifically bought because the bootloader can be unlocked. Once I buy a device, it is mine and I decide what to do with it. Not the manufacturer. Otherwise it is e-waste the moment it leaves the factory.”
我过去曾在旧款 HP 设备上运行过 Linux，而且我喜欢对自己拥有的所有设备拥有完全的控制权。我曾写道：“我对自己拥有的设备有一条准则：它们必须允许我获得 Root 或管理员权限。我买的二手任天堂 Switch 年代够久，可以越狱。我拥有的两台苹果设备（第一代 iPad Air 和第一代 iPhone SE）都有漏洞，让我可以获得 Root 权限。我买的所有安卓手机都是因为它们的引导加载程序（Bootloader）可以解锁。一旦我购买了设备，它就是我的，我决定如何使用它，而不是制造商。否则，它在离开工厂的那一刻就是电子垃圾。”
Hardware specs for a calculator!?
这竟然是计算器的硬件规格！？
The Prime G2 is comically overpowered for a calculator if you ask me. It has an i.MX 6 Ultralite ARM Cortex A7 CPU, 256 MB DDR3 RAM and 512 MB of internal storage. I mean come on! It’s closer to a small embedded Linux machine with a calculator keyboard attached than to a traditional calculator. The G1, the previous hardware revision already had a 400MHz ARM CPU with 32MB ram, but the G2 is like an Android phone of a few years back.
在我看来，Prime G2 作为计算器来说，性能简直强得离谱。它搭载了 i.MX 6 Ultralite ARM Cortex A7 CPU、256 MB DDR3 内存和 512 MB 内部存储。拜托！与其说它是传统计算器，不如说它更像是一台连接了计算器键盘的小型嵌入式 Linux 机器。上一代硬件 G1 已经拥有 400MHz 的 ARM CPU 和 32MB 内存，而 G2 的配置简直就像几年前的安卓手机。
Hardware specs for other calculators
其他计算器的硬件规格
Let’s check what their competitors have regarding specifications and possible Linux support. I’ve tried to find specifications of a few models available here in The Netherlands. The TI 84+ CE has an 48 MHz eZ80. No linux there. The Numworks Graphing Calculator N0110 has a 216 MHz ARM Cortex-M7 CPU, 8 MB storage and 256 KB of SRAM. I still find 216 MHz to be way more megahertz than you’ll probably need for a calculator, but who am I to judge. The later N0120 model even has a ridiculous 550 MHz ARM Cortex-M7, but a more reasonable 564KB of RAM.
让我们看看竞争对手的规格以及它们对 Linux 的支持情况。我尝试查找了一些在荷兰市场上销售的型号规格。TI 84+ CE 搭载的是 48 MHz 的 eZ80，无法运行 Linux。Numworks 图形计算器 N0110 搭载了 216 MHz 的 ARM Cortex-M7 CPU、8 MB 存储和 256 KB SRAM。虽然我觉得 216 MHz 对于计算器来说已经绰绰有余，但这只是我的看法。后来的 N0120 型号甚至配备了夸张的 550 MHz ARM Cortex-M7，但内存只有 564KB，这还算合理。