Sequoia Calculator Paper Tape Gone?

Larafromva wrote:

I agree, and Math Notes is a large clunky alternative that does not stack the equations and doesn't respond to return/enter as equals. I hope they bring Paper Tape back in an update 🤞

You can let Apple know what you'd like to see here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Meanwhile, a number of alternative have been mentioned in this thread. Perhaps take a look at them and see if they suit you better.

MattBeef wrote:

Bottom Line: Apple could have implemented "the new user interface" while still leaving the tried & true (and elegant) Paper Tape as an option.

Apple could do a lot of things that they don't do. All you can do is submit feedback letting them know your thoughts:

Product Feedback - Apple

The reality is Apple will never be able to please everyone all the time. That's why there are third-party apps.

RandyCGNW wrote:

I 100% agree with you! Calculator remains open throughout my work day and I've always kept the paper tape open. At first I was thinking I had a stroke and could no longer remember the key command to open the tape... So annoying Apple! #bringbackthetape

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

I suggest trying a copy of Calculator version less than 11 from a previous OS version.

https://calctape-paper-tape-calculator.en.softonic.com/mac $2.99

As I suggested on the very first page, try PCalc. It's in the App Store.

MattBeef wrote:

Just upgraded to Sequoia. Lots of niceness; hooray, blah, blah, blah...

I use the Calculator - all the time; I use the Paper Tape - all the time.

Where did the Paper Tape go?

I see there is now a "Show History" - but it's grayed out when using "Scientific" in "RPN" mode.

submit your Apple Feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple

seems to work for me in Scientific...

ref: Calculator User Guide for Mac - Apple Support

I would suspect there are many calculator apps in the AppStore if you were to do a search(?)

MattBeef wrote:

Apple could have implemented "the new user interface" while still leaving the tried & true (and elegant) Paper Tape as an option.

They could have. But Apple generally doesn't go that direction. They try to make things more simple rather than more complicated, at least from the user interface perspective. They always make it more complicated underneath.

I think in this case, the big problem was the "paper tape" itself. That's a relic of another age. They probably did a focus group of Mac users and asked them what they thought of the calculator. Everyone used it. They asked how it could be better. People responded that they wanted to be able to see their calculations and edit them. They also wanted a history. The Apple researched asked, "but what about the paper tape?" The response was, "what's a paper tape?" And here we are. That probably didn't happen, but it could have.

I'm not that good with computers, but I just put an old copy of the calculator application from a backup to my desktop and gave it a different name. Haven't used it much yet but seems to work okay and shows the old Paper Tape.

Philip_Smith_Books wrote:

This is the most annoying and pointless destruction of a functional app in memory. It is as if Apple had someone with no practical use experience destroy the functionality of the interface for no reason beyond busywork. Now I have to find a usable app that shows a column-format paper tape, SINCE THAT IS WHAT IS NEEDED WHEN ONE IS ADDING FIGURES. Jeez.

Have you ever heard that you should choose the right tool for the job? Use a screwdriver to drive screws rather than a hammer, and a hammer rather than pliers to drive nails?

The RIGHT tool for adding a column of numbers is a spreadsheet, not a calculator. If you make a mistake you can just change one number, rather than starting over. Yes, you can use a calculator for a column of numbers, and you can use a hammer to drive screws.

Steve Roth wrote:

Grrrrrr.

Some programmer(s) had to devote hours to making this app LESS USEFUL, redesigning Paper Tape to the inferior "History" UI, and making even History unavailable except in grade-school ("Basic") mode.

What ITH were they thinking?

Grrrrr, some UI designers responded to requests from thousands of users who didn’t like the calculator to change the way it worked.

And programmers don’t make decisions; they do what they are told to do by human factors experts.

I guess you haven’t bothered to read the 7 pages of the thread you already posted to.

m4ry4nnd wrote:

For me, I could 'print' out the Paper Tape (as pdf) and have it accepted by business office, same as a real paper tape on a stack of receipts.

That's nice. Tell Apple it's something you'd like them to put back:

Product Feedback - Apple