Kalk
Dev tools
calculator
SHOW HN2021
How HN took it
10 positive, 16 neutral or asking, 1 mixed, 17 critical, out of 44 comments about the project. Thread score -0.09.
Execution: 0 for, 10 againstPerformance: 2 for, 5 againstIdea: 4 for, 2 againstDesign: 1 for, 0 against
The thread, comment by comment
Each row is a top-level comment and its replies, in HN's order. Select a cell to open that comment on HN.
positive neutral or mixed critical about another commenter or something else the maker
What HN said
What people liked
Useful, interactive calculator with nice syntax
From 3 comments
This is a really great calculator, will definitely be using it! FYI I noticed there is a very similar product with the same name: https://kalk.dev/
psyklic on HNThis looks extremely useful, even though currently makes quite a few mistakes, as noted by others. A few features that could be nice: 1) It handles 1 000 000 * 3 just fine, but…
krick on HNI usually use the interactive Python prompt when doing calculations, but kalk takes it up a notch. Well done! (The pre-built Linux binary segfaults before it can show the result…
kseistrup on HN
Handles 0.1+0.2 correctly
From 1 comment
An interactive calculator that passes the 0.1+0.2 test, very nice.
jeroenhd on HN
Beautiful web GUI and source code
From 1 comment
Beautiful Web GUI, beautiful source code, "cargo install kalk_cli" && it works like a charm! Thanks for sharing this.
jll29 on HN
Objections
Gives wrong results for percentage expressions like 2 + 2 * 10%
From 3 comments
For fun, try to run this: `2 + 2 * 10%` in all calculators you have access to: on you phone, on your desktop, in kalk. As they say, "the answer will surprise you" :)
dmitriid on HNWolfram Alpha and iOS also give 2.2 On MacOS the answer is 2.4 In kalk it's 2.002 On Windows it's 0.4 in simple calc, and 2 in programmer calc (and there's no % in engineering…
dmitriid on HNIs there an explanation for the answer in kalk? Seems buggy It seems like an expression like "1 * 10%" in kalk is computed as if it means "1% * 10%" => "0.01 * 0.1" => "0.001"
kzrdude on HN
Crashes on SIGILL for pre-built Linux binary
From 1 comment
Any calculation, even simple ones ``` >> 1+2 fish: Job 1, './kalk-linux' terminated by signal SIGILL (Illegal instruction) ```
kseistrup on HN
Higher-order derivatives are inaccurate
From 2 comments
This seems off: ``` >> f(x) = x^2 >> f''(4) 0.9995297887 ```
Bootvis on HNNote that if f(x) = x^2 then the second derivative f''(x) = 2, so it looks like you're off by a factor of 2 (as well as the accuracy issue).
onhn on HN
Big number support missing; 3^4^5 gives infinity
From 2 comments
Can you support big numbers? When I input 3^4^5, it outputs infinity.
artfulhippo on HNThe desktop program does technically have the capabilities of that, but lately I've been focusing a lot more on the web version, that unfortunately doesn't, so results are 64-bit…
paddim8 on HN
Name clashes with another kalk calculator
From 2 comments
This is a really great calculator, will definitely be using it! FYI I noticed there is a very similar product with the same name: https://kalk.dev/
psyklic on HNYeah the name isn't very good. This wasn't actually supposed to become something, it was a quick thing I made when I was bored, that suddenly expanded into all this, haha. I like…
paddim8 on HN
Requests
Support Unicode superscripts, subscripts and operators
From 1 comment
I immediately found a few Unicode features I hoped were supported but aren’t. Superscripts: firstly numerals, like 3² = 9, but ideally then letters as well, e.g. 3ⁱ = 3^i. Might…
chrismorgan on HN
Digit grouping in output
From 2 comments
This looks extremely useful, even though currently makes quite a few mistakes, as noted by others. A few features that could be nice: 1) It handles 1 000 000 * 3 just fine, but…
krick on HN> At least as an optional setting (even though I have no idea why someone wouldn't want that). Copy/pasting? At least each three zeroes could alternate in color, to make it…
StavrosK on HN
Reference last result beyond ans
From 1 comment
This looks extremely useful, even though currently makes quite a few mistakes, as noted by others. A few features that could be nice: 1) It handles 1 000 000 * 3 just fine, but…
krick on HN
Symbolic derivatives and integrals
From 2 comments
Any interest in adding more symbolic stuff? There often isn't really any reason to do derivatives numerically. While I was looking at the derivatives I noticed the word…
eigenket on HNI have thought about doing derivatives and such algebraically when possible. It should certainly be doable, and I already have a system for moving things around to achieve these…
paddim8 on HN
Package manager distribution such as Homebrew
From 2 comments
Pity it's not in homebrew. I realize I can manually download a binary and manually install it and make a note somewhere where I got it from in case I forget and then periodically…
dividedbyzero on HNYeah maybe it should be on homebrew and other package managers. Didn't actually expect it to get this much attention! I'll see what I can do
paddim8 on HN
Questions
How was the experience using WebAssembly
From 1 comment
Congrats! I write calculators myself from time to time, but this sounds very impressive :) How was your experience using webassembly? Any good guides that helped you with that…
math-dev on HN
Why e^(iπ) gives unexpected result
From 1 comment
For what it’s worth, my first session went like this: ``` >> e^iπ+1 2.6974097548 + 2.6435590641i >> e^iπ 1.6974097548 + 2.6435590641i ``` In fairness, I still don’t know where…
sillysaurusx on HN
Alternatives named
Soulver
From 1 comment
Performing the calculation with Soulver did not surprise me (being what I calculated in my head ahead of time): ``` 2 + 2 × 10% = 2.2 ``` At the risk of admitting my ignorance,…
npongratz on HN
Qalculate
From 1 comment
I'm a big fan of https://qalculate.github.io/. It has a nice GUI which can be used interchangeably with the CLI version. It also has units, many built-in physical constants,…
kqbx on HN
calc (arbitrary precision calculator)
From 1 comment
If you're looking for something more advanced while still at the command prompt, check out "calc": http://isthe.com/chongo/tech/comp/calc/ On Fedora: sudo dnf install calc ;…
tux1968 on HN
microMathematics Plus
From 1 comment
> though mine takes sort of the opposite approach, input and manipulation is very visual. There is already opensource app for that: microMathematics Plus (μMath+) — Extended…
app4soft on HN
Python interactive prompt
From 1 comment
I usually use the interactive Python prompt when doing calculations, but kalk takes it up a notch. Well done! (The pre-built Linux binary segfaults before it can show the result…
kseistrup on HN