My First ‘Computer’ Program Written On A HP41CV Programmable Calculator

This was my first application written for work, back around 1987 or 1988, on a HP41CV programmable calculator. The problem it was solving, was for shift workers to be able to know what shift they’d be working on a future date such as Christmas Day, News Year’s Eve, their birthday, etc. This was pretty important so they could arrange their social activities around whether they’d be working, or whether they’d have the whole day off.

Having written this program back then (before anyone had personal computers at home, a smartphone or Google, meant I was the go-to person to get this information really quickly. So when my work was starting to establish a computer unit in Cape Town, my then boss summoned me in, and basically said I was on my way to join the computer unit. And the rest, as they say, was history…

Watch https://youtu.be/0VoFcVH7Hr0

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