Article URL: https://raymii.org/s/articles/But_can_your_calculator_run_Linux.html Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49137713 Points: 50 # Comments: 3

Published: 01-08-2026 20:08 | Author: Remy van Elst | Text only version of this article 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. 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. 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. Here are some pictures of the opened up calculator and here is a website with some more downloads. 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. 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. Being able to develop software on a device is almost a must have as well for me. Missing functionality, otherwise known as stuff the manufacturer does not make (enough) money on, can be programmed back in as long as you can develop on a device and are willing to put in enough time and/or money.