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DESCRIPTION
Longhand is a calculator built from the ground up to facilitate calculation. Most other computer calculators try blindly to emulate the physical format of their predecessors. What works well in the real world, however, functions worst, and is often not desired, in its virtual sibling. By leveraging the capabilities provided by modern technology, Longhand allows you to perform everything from the most basic to the most complex of calculations with great ease.

Longhand uses the same paradigm as a word processor. You simply type in equations instead of hunting and pecking virtual calculator buttons. As your equation is entered, Longhand dynamically calculates the answer. Made a mistake with your math? No problem. With a usual calculator you would have to retype your equation, but with Longhand you can simply correct it! The calculator for calculators...

Longhand is exceptionally easy to use, but is also surprisingly powerful. It supports all the standard arithmetic functions, but in addition to that Longhand has superb handling of trigonometry, multiple bases (binary, hexadecimal, etc.), matrices, complex numbers, and much more. Longhand is also highly accurate with support for arbitrarily long numbers instead of limiting you to the built-in number size of your OS.

WHAT'S NEW
Version 2.5 is a Universal Binary, compatible with Intel-based Macs.
REQUIREMENTS
Mac OS X 10.0 or later.

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SCREENSHOT

Developer:Scott Fortmann-Roe
Downloads:5,664
  - Version d/l:1,278
Education:Mathematics
License:Free
Date:18 Dec 2007
Platform:PPC/Intel
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    Longhand User Reviews (8 posts)Write A Review
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    Dec 19 2007

    RORO01  Doesn't work on iMac Intel 10.4.11. The developer states in his website that it should work on other OSX systems apart from Leopard.  
    (Version 2.5)

    praisebury
    0
    [ 1 Reply - Reply ]
    Replies:
    Oct 11 2009

    MARTINB  I have the same problem with Version 2.5 on OS 10.4.11

    When I launch it, it hangs with 95..100% CPU usage, the application is open, but I can't select anything in the menus and there is no window.

    However, version 2.4 was ok (sometimes crashed, but in general it was working) on OS 10.4.11.  
    (Version 2.5)

    praisebury
    0

    Jan 29 2005
    ****½

    DAN  Wingsy's problem with 3^0.5 is not the fault of the developer of Longhand, but of the underlying calc executable, which does not compute fractional powers (at least in the above form) or with normal build options for the package. As for the other issues: I don't care.

    calc is a very powerful (open source) extended precision math system. I did not have to do anything special to compile it on my machine using the compilers supplied with Developer Tools Xcode v. 1.2

    The procedure for piping inputs to calc and piping its outputs back into a text view, while not completely trivial, is the work of an afternoon, especially if you have some Cocoa sample code to work with. The real work was done by the developers of calc, and although the author does credit them in appropriate places, he could do more to declare that fact in the info he has supplied here at MU.  
    (Version 2.3)

    praisebury
    0
    [ Reply ]
    Jan 2 2005
    ***½.

    WINGSY  This version STILL produces an error for equations such as: 3^.5

    Also, when triggered to calculate with the Enter key, the cursor is left between the equation and the result. From there, I don't see how to get to the next line without grabbing the mouse and positioning the cursor at the end of the line before I hit Return to give me a new line. If there is some other way it sure isn't very intuitive to me.

    I almost had this app in my dock, until I discovered the issues (to me anyway) above... and then I stumbled onto Chipmonk Basic. I gave this new version another try but it still looks the same to me.  
    (Version 2.2.1)

    praisebury
    0
    [ Reply ]
    Dec 18 2004

    ANONYMOUS  This is cool, but it really need to be made into a service too, so you can use it in any application.

    Yes, I know there's CalcService, but this does a lot more..  
    (Version 2.2)

    praisebury
    0
    [ Reply ]
    Nov 13 2004

    ANONYMOUS  Not really a new idea. MathPad has been around for years. It includes plotting and is also free.  
    (Version 2.1)

    praisebury
    0
    [ Reply ]
    Nov 13 2004
    *****

    APIKORUS  Outstanding! Fancy calculator simulators more often than not miss this crucial point: the most important feature is ease of use. Noone wants to hunt and peck with the mouse to press one or more buttons to get an inverse hyperbolic tangent -- anyone can type "atanh" much faster. Longhand is perfect -- a beautifully designed and conceived piece of software. I can't believe it's free.  
    (Version 2.1)

    praisebury
    0
    [ Reply ]
    Nov 13 2004
    *****

    ANONYMOUS  Exactly, what I have been waiting for! Thanks!  
    (Version 2.1)

    praisebury
    0
    [ Reply ]
    Nov 7 2004

    ANONYMOUS  Sort of a GUI version of the old UNIX standard "bc"?  
    (Version 2.0.1)

    praisebury
    0
    [ 3 Replies - Reply ]
    Replies:
    Nov 7 2004

    ANONYMOUS  Yes, but it uses a more powerful engine.  
    (Version 2.0.1)

    praisebury
    0
    Nov 12 2004

    ANONYMOUS  More powerful, in what way?  
    (Version 2.1)

    praisebury
    0
    Nov 13 2004

    ANONYMOUS  I have not examined bc in detail, but I do not believe that it supports things like imaginary numbers or matrices.  
    (Version 2.1)

    praisebury
    0