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Numworks: open-source, Python-compatible handheld graphing calculator

Screenshot of www.numworks.com captured 2026-07-20
Page preview · captured 2026-07-20

Resurfaced independently across 5 calendar years, with breakout response in 3 of them.

submissions
9
submitters
8
observed span
2017–2022
peak thread · 72 comments
158 pts
latest 20+ return · 2022-08-26
128 pts

Submission timeline

2007–2026

One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.

First comments on top threads

HN comment order

You may want to check out: The whole calculator running in a browser, thanks to emscripten : https://www.numworks.com/simulator/ An interactive PCB viewer, in the browser again : https://www.numworks.com/resources/engineering/hardware/elec... Full schematics https://www.numworks.com/resources/engineering/hardware/elec... And of course the whole source code to the operating system, https://github.com/numworks/epsilon

Ecco·158-point thread·

I have one of these. It’s a nice little device but it falls a bit short in one key area: it lacks a CAS (Computer Algebra System) for symbolic calculations. That functionality was available in an earlier release of the software (Epsilon) but it was at best rather rudimentary. I’ve flashed Omega (a fork of Epsilon that preserves the rudimentary symbolic capabilities of earlier Epsilon) which also allows running third-party apps (including Xcas). You can check it out here: https://getomega.dev…

qubex·129-point thread·

Mods, please correct the editorialized and wrong title. NumWorks isn't open source and never was. What it is is source-available, because the source is available. Or at least it still was available the last time I looked at it. NumWorks used to be fun because it had an unlocked bootloader, allowing users to download their own software onto the calculator. But then they did a face-heel turn. To NumWorks' credit, I'm sure the UI is still miles ahead of Texas…

nsajko·128-point thread·

I've seen this type of thing pop up before, usually as a small linux computer running octave

The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.

Breakout years
3

100+ points or 50+ comments

Total points
432

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Total comments
184

reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking

Every submission